The Excitement of Voting on October 7

Very exciting things are happening ahead of the October 7 election. As you can see in the media and on social networks, here we are all running around, working hard and each doing whatever we can to achieve the best possible result that day. And despite the obstacles, difficulties and setbacks that have come up in recent months, and that will surely keep coming as the big day approaches, we will keep working with all the hope in the world so that as many Venezuelans as possible (inside and outside the country) go out to vote that day.

A few days ago I was delighted to read an interview in Notitarde in which a Venezuelan living in Miami, Luis Emigdio García, said he has been organizing fellow Venezuelans to make the long bus trip from Miami to New Orleans so they can exercise their right to vote. They were not allowed to vote in Miami, but they will move heaven and earth to go and vote in New Orleans. Bravo! García told Notitarde by phone that the enthusiasm of people who want change for their country gives him goosebumps. He said that since he announced the bus trip he has received many calls and emails from different cities in Florida, among them Weston, Boca Raton, Tampa, Ocala, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, Doral, Miami, Naples, Fort Lauderdale and Plantation, and from other states such as North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, asking him to save them a seat to Louisiana for the coming presidential election.

It is also exciting to see initiatives on Twitter like that of @VenMundo (Venezuelans in the World), who are looking for Venezuelans all over the world to form teams to vote and work for their country in the coming election. We feel great emotion seeing how they are organizing buses and charter flights to travel to vote that day. Truly, a million thanks to all those Venezuelans abroad who remain committed to their country and to this election! You give those of us here great encouragement to keep going!

All of us Venezuelans, here and abroad, understand that this is no ordinary election. It is not one of the typical elections of the past. No! Not only the future of our country depends on this election, but the very lives of all Venezuelans, because one of the most important reasons people will turn out en masse that day is the serious problem of crime. Crime that affects EVERYONE who lives here (whether yellow, blue, red, white or undecided) and, of course, the families and friends of every Venezuelan living abroad.

So how could anyone not vote that day, in such an important election? We have far too much at stake. First, the future of our nation, so that it can live in full Freedom, Justice and Peace. Second, the future of our children and young people, who show more incredible maturity every day. And third, the future of all our loved ones who live in this country, who, from the moment they get up until they go to bed, put their lives at risk because of this serious crime problem (above all in recent years, when insecurity has grown brutally).

It may be inconvenient and expensive to arrange everything to be able to vote that day. But what is that to a Venezuelan warrior? What is that to someone full of love for what is ours, for our own people? What is that, when it is time to give thanks, with deeds, for all the good things we learned here, for so many beautiful things we received from our parents, teachers, relatives and friends, for so many opportunities to study and work that we had here, thanks to which we were able to get ahead somewhere else and show the wonder and greatness of being Venezuelan?

As of today, we Venezuelans have great hope, because there are many, very many! of us working together, as never before in our history!, so that as many people as possible vote on October 7 (here and abroad), so that everything takes place calmly, so that we can defend the votes in every corner of the country, and so that the results are accepted in peace. So let no one fail to vote on that great day!

Onward, my people. We love you very much and we miss you a lot. And remember something very important: that day, besides voting, we must pray hard for everything to go peacefully. You will pray for us and we for you, so that soon, very soon, we may all be together again in this beloved homeland where we were born and which needs us so much.