Protests of Venezuela
It’s two months of anti-government protests in José Martí Square of Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. Police fired tear gas and masked youths threw petrol bombs. Anger, hatred, resentment, discord, crash, lack of understanding… It stands to reason that we are all suffocated even when we think about it. It may be exactly same to Venezuelan violinist.
However, the day was different.
Violin melody came from somewhere. The roar of the tear gas and shouts of protesters ‘It’s dangerous!!!’ mingled in a violin melody. It was an extraordinary landscape. A young man of Venezuela(Venezuelan violinist) with helmet bearing the national flags was playing the violin. He didn’t seem to mind that or anything. He was only focus on the violin melody. He didn’t have any weapon and protection equipment. It gives a strong impression to me.
It was on air by CNN.
What is the meaning?
On May 3, the 18 year-old Venezuelan violinist and member of the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra was shot dead during an anti-government demonstration. His name is Armando Cañizales. He said, “I fought for my country” and participated in demonstration. Cañizales was in El Sistema music education program for low-income youth in Venezuela. So of course, his funeral was full with weeping young musicians when Venezuelan flags were flapping.