Wow, you’ve got it all wrong. This article is garbage. As a Venezuelan, let me tell you this: the color of the skin is not important for us like it is in the US (the most racist country in the world). It’s just not a thing, period.

I invite you to go there and see the reality with your own eyes. Black people, white people, criollos, everyone is having a hard time. It has absolutely nothing to do with race or ethnicity.

If you survive that trip without becoming a political prisoner or simply getting killed because someone wants your shoes or your phone, I’m sure you’ll come back with a different opinion.

If you don’t know what you’re talking about, you should just keep your mouth shut and avoid looking like an ignorant. I lived there for 25 years, now I’m 28. I had no hope of achieving my goals, I was too busy making 6 hours lines to get toilet paper. The majority of my family is still there, suffering power outages that can go from 6 hours to 1 week.

You know, one of the things that I appreciate the most about living in a safe country now is the possibility to go outside and feel safe, I can have my phone in my hand and I know I won’t be killed for it. Have you ever felt that fear? I’m sure you haven’t.

I also appreciate being able to take a shower, yes, the simple things… a luxury a lot of people don’t have in Venezuela because they don’t have water service.

I thank God every day for the simple things. Electric power to work and produce, water to wash my hands, safety to go outside without fear, a work that provides me with enough money to cover my needs, the ability to go to the store and buy whatever food I want and not some gross food the government think I should eat, and simply the peace and tranquility of not living in a country of constant conflict.

I still worry everyday for my mom and my family and I send them money and boxes with food, soap, toothpaste, shampoo and other basic things that you take for granted in your little perfect life.

All the sanctions the US has made are against individuals who have stolen our money and have it in their PERSONAL accounts in Switzerland and other countries, that’s the part you don’t get, do you? Do you wanna talk about foreign invasion? Cuba gets oil for FREE and has military presence in our country, just like Russia. Russia takes our gold and give their junk obsolete military armament so Maduro can murder the people.

People die in the hospitals because there’s no power or medicines while the people in the government have big generators to stay fresh and cool in their mansions with AC. If they get too bored they can take their private jets and go to Aruba real quick and spend a couple of days.

I could write an entire book with all the shit I saw and lived in Venezuela. Nothing like you’ve ever been through before. You know nothing. Go there and see it with your own eyes.

Good luck.

— An offended Venezuelan.