I have dedicated several writings to express my concerns about the crisis of our democracy since Trump’s election. As a Venezuelan that saw a democracy challenged and finally undermined by Hugo Chavez, I know a radical populist leader when I see one. I have always been deeply concerned with bigotry and division in this country, and President Trump continues to validate my concerns. By provoking violent unhinged groups through tweets and public statements, the President continues to make this country a more dangerous place.
As congressman in Venezuela I was persecuted. Political repression by the regime on those of us who dissented was not uncommon. The violence of government inspired (and often unhinged) groups that acted following Chavez’s bigotry and dog whistles. Back in those days I was frequently the victim of assaults during my daily commute to the Capitol, and worse, twice the victim of failed attacks and kidnappings by armed Chavista loyalists while with my family, or even in my home. These were all events that had a political motivation or inspiration, but blended with the chaos created by the government to provide cover to those loyalist groups that were part of their political base.
The violent events in Charlottesville, Pittsburgh, Charleston, El Paso, as well as the most recent killing in Kenosha WI; are all episodes of politically inspired violence inspired by presidential rhetoric. During the debate, President Trump could not expressly condemn white supremacists, instead telling those groups to “stand-by”. Additionally, his inability to commit to a peaceful transfer of power, was particularly triggering, and elicited memories of the authoritarianism I experienced in Venezuela.
In the past few weeks we have seen violent groups interfered with the activities of Biden supporters in car parades in Miami, I did personally experience harassment and provocation from the “Trump Proud Boys” in Miami a few months ag , while in a press conference in front of Liberty Tower in which I joined Congresswoman Donna Shalala and other advocates demanding from this administration to stop deportations of Cubans, Venezuelan and Nicaraguan refugees. We have also witnessed how deliberate disinformation campaigns in social media, often boosted by trolls and bots that can be traced to Russian and other foreign actor interfering in our election, are addressed to mischaracterize people in the media or politics with opposite views to Trump, with false accusations and labels that eventually could trigger violent actions, in addition to the digital reputational lynching we become victims by this orchestrated efforts to divide and polarize the electorate, with negative impact to our democratic discourse.
In the last couple of weeks I also read the FBI report charging members of an extremist right wing group with conspiracy to kidnap the Governors of Michigan and Virginia, it confirmed for me that without change the country is headed in the wrong direction. We can’t forget that those events were preceded by hateful rhetoric, bigotry speeches, and contentious tweets by the President to “LIBERATE MICHIGAN” and “LIBERATE VIRGINIA”.
This is un-American. It needs to stop, and moreover, we should, as citizens of an exemplary democracy, use the power of our vote to stop it.