More than 60 Venezuelan-Canadian protesters are asking people to see past politics after last week's Hands of Venezuela protest.
They gathered at the opening to Windsor's Jackson Park on the corner of Tecumseh Rd. and Ouellette Ave. Saturday — one week after a handful of protesters stood in the same place calling Canadian support for self-proclaimed Interim President Juan Guaido an attack on the country's sovereignty.
It's been just over than a month since Guaido declared ousted President Nicolas Maduro's election last year illegitimate. Since then, he has won the support of dozens of governments around the world, including those of Canada and the United States.
Martha Silva and her husband fled to Canada in June of 2016 with their three children to make sure they had a safe comfortable way of life. The family fled after one of her children nearly died due to lack of medical care, something she says many Venezuelans have faced under the previous regime.
A counter protest to last week's "Hands Off Venezuela" rally sees strong support calling for aid and an end to Nicolas Maduro's regime @CTVWindsor pic.twitter.com/9GVh4dhHkC
— Ricardo Veneza (@RVenezaCTV) March 2, 2019
Silva tells CTV Windsor people need to look past political views and see a country not meeting the most basic of human needs.
"This is not a matter of politics, it's a matter of humanity and we need to stand for what is right," she says. "When you say hands off Venezuela, you are standing for a government that is starving their people to death."
She's hopeful the world will keep fighting for Venezuelans who don't have the resources to fight for themselves.
"The rest of the world is finally turning their eyes into Venezuela and many, many countries are finally providing some kind of support and I have hope that my country is finally going to be able to see the end of this nightmare," she says.
Two people died and nearly 300 were injured during a violent confrontation between Venezuelan troops and protestors attempting to collect international aid last week.
Canada has imposed targeted sanctions on Venezuela and provided $55-million in humanitarian assistance.