The Venezuelan and Ukrainian communities in Ottawa came together March 22 to rally against tyranny in their countries.
The demonstration began at 2 p.m. in front of Parliament to chants of “Save Venezuela, save Ukraine.”
“We hope that people in Venezuela and in Ukraine see that there are people in other countries across the borders . . . rallying for them,” University of Ottawa (U of O) student Maria Arseniuk said. “We saw the parallels between these two countries and their desire and their hopes and their dreams.”
As protesters marched through downtown Ottawa, they belted chants of “save the world from tyrants.”
Arseniuk said her parents live in Ukraine and she often travels to the country. She said this issue is very close to her heart as she wants to go back to live in Ukraine.
Protests in Ukraine began in November 2013 when the government rejected an agreement that would associate Ukraine with the European Union (EU). The potential for closer ties with the EU was fuelling tensions with Russia.
Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych’s government collapsed due to the protests. The interim government is currently preparing for elections, and has signed the agreement with the EU.
This prompted Russian troops to occupy Ukraine’s Crimea region, which Russian parliament has since annexed, creating international pressures. Zoriana Priadka, one of the rally’s organizers, said she would like to see stricter sanctions placed on Russia.
“We recognize all that’s been done and we appreciate it but that hasn’t really had the impact we were hoping for,” Priadka said.
Erick Kad-Bay, a second-year engineering student at Carleton University from Venezuela, said everyone suffers from the same problems in his country whether they’re rich or poor. He said his uncle was driving in a university in Venezuela when a truck approached his car. Men with large guns attempted to kidnap him and stole his car, before his uncle got away.
This is not an isolated incident, according to Kad-Bay. He said it’s an everyday occurrence in Venezuela to the extent that people have stopped purchasing phones because they are quickly stolen.
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Anti-government protests began in Venezuela in February 2014. Students demanded increased security after a female student alleged she was a victim of attempted rape.
The protesters also complained about inflation and shortages in basic food items, as well as a media blackout, Kad-Bay said. As the demonstrations turned violent, students were arrested, prompting rallies for their release.
Jessica Margeit, a first-year U of O student who helped organize the rally on behalf of the Venezuelan community, said there are many similarities between the situations in both Venezuela and Ukraine.
Just as Russia has a large interest in Ukraine, so does Cuba in her home of Venezuela, Margeit said.
Students have started similar protests to speak out in unity about human rights violations and deaths in Ukraine and Venezuela, she said.
“Their TVs are being censored, radio is being censored,” Margeit said. “No one can say what they want. Students are being killed for protesting.”
Arseniuk said the joint protest echoed the values students are fighting for in Venezuela and Ukraine.
“In both countries you have individuals coming together to protest against dictatorship, to protests for democracy, to protest for the freedom of the press and to protest for just basic human rights,” she said. “And we came together to collaborate and stand together united.”
