00:00And as the popular consultation is underway in Venezuela, we have a very special guest, Itzel Pamela Pérez-Gómez, International
00:06Policy Analyst.
00:08Hello, Itzel, and welcome to From the South.
00:13Thank you very much. I'm very happy and glad to be here talking about the significant day for Venezuela.
00:19Precisely. What is the political significance of this democratic process that is underway in Venezuela?
00:26Okay, so taking into consideration that now Venezuela is in a transition ongoing, even though we don't have a date
00:33for this transition to end,
00:35it's very significant because it tells us that in Venezuela the processes are still going,
00:40and that the government, it doesn't matter which government will take now the power in the country,
00:49they are both on their way to accept and continue with these practices.
00:56You know, like it's a very democratic practice that it's based on the Venezuela constitution.
01:02So it means that they are giving legitimacy to the political system in Venezuela and that the things are still
01:13going.
01:15This consultation includes younger people as of 15 years old.
01:21So what's the importance of involving such a young age, the youth in this democratic process that also has to
01:29do with the impact
01:30that they are also planning to do on their community?
01:34So the significance of taking into consideration the young people reflects that Venezuela is going with an international,
01:47what we will say, an international demand, because nowadays kids are being listened in policy.
01:58Like we have, for example, in other countries such as in Europe or even in our countries, in Latin America,
02:06kids are taking more and more voice in what takes the politics.
02:13So first of all, it means that.
02:14And secondly, it's a way also to amplify, you know, the people voting so they can give more legitimacy to
02:23wherever they are deciding.
02:26Because kids are also inhabitants of these territories and they are the ones that will stay in the future, right?
02:35So it's very important to take them into consideration for these decisions,
02:40because they are the ones that are going to take the most of whatever is decided.
02:47Also, this year, life in Venezuela has been marked by two tragedies, a military attack and also a double earthquake.
02:55What's the message that the Venezuelan people is sending to the world today?
02:59The message that they are sending today is that they are rebuilding their country as a community.
03:05I think that these kind of consultations that are very people-based and that are focused on deciding which projects
03:16will be implemented
03:18and which are the priorities for the people by the people themselves.
03:23They are giving the message that this country will be built by the people
03:31and whatever it will be priority will be decided by the people
03:35and that they have the power to decide where they want to allocate the resources.
03:40And that's it, I think.
03:42Thank you very much for your time here from the South, also for helping us going through what is happening
03:48today in Venezuela
03:49and how important it is, not just for Venezuelans, but also for the region as a whole.
03:55Thank you very much.
