Face of the Day

Members of New Zealand’s Venezuelan community around the country gathered as part of worldwide protests against the Government of President Nicolas Maduro.

Nearly 50 Venezuelans gathered in the pouring rain in Auckland’s Aotea Square while a further 50 rallied in front of Christchurch’s Bridge of Remembrance. [...]

[Jetzabel Hicks] said everyone was proud of the opposition.

“They proved beyond a doubt that Venezuela voted for change and Maduro needs to go,” she said.

“They did it legally and peacefully and are a testament to democratic spirit. And they have stayed, to keep on resisting, despite the danger they are in.

The Napier resident said the Kiwi Venezuelans were worried for the people back home.

“They are getting shot and thrown in miserable jails for peacefully protesting in the streets. If we were in Venezuela now doing this rally, the government would be recording our faces and our names and sending their thugs to get us afterwards.”

Government forces have reportedly begun cracking down on dissent with videos emerging online of officers dragging protesters and opposition supporters into vehicles.