Yolyter Rodríguez, un ama de casa de 56 años y madre de tres, recibe un cuidado de su hija en su residencia en Caracas ( Foto REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino)
Jesús Ibarra, un estudiante venezolano de ingeniería de 19 años, apenas habla y camina con dificultad luego de que lo golpeó una bomba lacrimógena que le pulverizó una parte del cráneo durante una de las protestas contra el presidente Nicolás Maduro que sacudieron el país entre abril y julio, reseña Reuters.
Después de cinco operaciones y tratamientos por infecciones tras caer a un río altamente contaminado por el impacto, Ibarra aún debe atravesar un sexto procedimiento donde le colocarán una pieza para cubrir el fragmento de cráneo faltante.
El joven es uno de los 1.934 heridos que dejaron los cuatro meses de protestas, según cifras oficiales. A muchos de ellos, se les hace cuesta arriba sus tratamientos por la escasez de medicinas y material quirúrgico en el país petrolero.
“Yo converso mucho con mi hijo y a veces me hace entender que no valió la pena, que se arrepintió y que fue un error”, dijo José Ibarra, padre de Jesús, recordando que ha tenido que pedir donaciones de medicinas para su hijo.
“Pero otras veces me dice claramente que sí valió la pena porque estaba luchando por un cambio en el que él cree”, agregó al lado de su convaleciente hijo, en su casa en Petare, una de las barriadas más grandes de América Latina.
El día en que fue alcanzado por el cartucho de la bomba lacrimógena, Ibarra había acudido a manifestarse para mostrar su descontento con la crisis económica del país. Hoy, tras 45 días en coma inducido, apenas camina apoyado de una andadera y debe recibir a una terapista para tratar de recuperar sus funciones.
Un equipo del Alto Comisionado para los Derechos Humanos de las Naciones Unidas entrevistó a expertos que sugieren que en Venezuela se hizo un uso excesivo y sistemático de fuerza y que los uniformados son responsables de al menos 46 de las 124 muertes vinculadas a las protestas.
“Yo simplemente me tapaba, esperaba que no me hicieran nada, a ver si salía con suerte. Pero, de repente, llegó uno de ellos y me disparó a quemarropa en los pies y me dejaron ahí tirado”, dijo Brian Dalati en Caracas, acostado en su cama con clavos ortopédicos en la pierna derecha y un yeso en la izquierda.
Dalati, de 22 años, se dirigía al instituto donde estudia cocina, cuando pasó por una barricada y fue interceptado por agentes de seguridad que lo patearon y robaron.
“Yo no estaba haciendo nada, no había la necesidad (…) fue pura malicia”, agregó. Sentado a su lado, su papá confesó que se le dificulta conseguir los implementos para curarlo.
“Crímenes de odio”
Al menos cinco muertos durante las protestas se produjeron por “crímenes de odio”, según un informe de la Defensoría del Pueblo, en manos de aliados del presidente Maduro.
Inés Esparragoza, madre de Orlando Figuera, un joven de 21 años que murió dos semanas después de haber sido quemado en una protesta en Caracas, dijo que su hijo fue atacado por ser simpatizante del Gobierno socialista.
“Si no es a mi hijo, hubiera sido a otra persona pero esta vez le tocó a mi hijo (…) que lo apuñalaron, lo quemaron como a un animal”, dijo Esparragoza llorando ante las cámaras de un canal estatal, días antes de que su hijo falleciera en junio.
Por Andreina Aponte/Reuters
Najhud Najhla Colina, una estudiante de 23 años que resultó herida en una protesta contra el Gobierno de Nicolás Maduro en Venezuela, posa para una fotografía en su casa en CaracasBrian Dalati, un estudiante de 22 años que resultó herido durante una protesta contra el Gobierno de Nicolás Maduro en Venezuela, reposa en su cama en su casa en CaracasCulinary student Brian Dalati, 22, a bystander who was injured during a protest against Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro’s government, poses for a photograph inside his home in Caracas, Venezuela, August 15, 2017. Dalati said he was walking past a street barricade on his way to class during an opposition protest on July 27, 2017 when the police, mistaking him for a protester, hit him and shot him with rubber bullets in both legs. “I did not participate in the protests because I always thought it was dangerous and too violent. Today I’m in a desperate situation. I was a very active person, I enjoyed exercising, normal activities, and now I cannot do anything but sit and lie in bed all day.” “I depend on my siblings to go to the bathroom, shower, brush my teeth, eat, anything. It’s infuriating,” he said. “They didn’t have to do this. It was pure hate. Thank goodness I will be able to walk again soon.” REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino SEARCH “VENEZUELA INJURIES” FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH “WIDER IMAGE” FOR ALL STORIES.Manuel Melo, un estudiante de 21 años que resultó herido durante una protesta contra el Gobierno de Nicolás Maduro en Venezuela, posa para una fotografía en su casa en Caracas (Foto Reuters)Jesus Ibarra, 1a 19-year-old engineering student, who was injured during a protest against Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro’s government, lies on a bed inside his home in Caracas, Venezuela August 15, 2017. Relatives of Ibarra said he was struck by a tear gas canister crushed part of his skull, he fell unconscious into the Guaire river on May 1, 2017. He has brain damage and speech impairment. His parents said he was protesting against hunger, medicine shortages and the economic crisis. “I speak to my son a lot, and sometimes he makes me understand it was not worth suffering this, that he regrets it, that it was a mistake. But other times he’s clearly telling me that it was worth fighting for a change he believes in,” said Ibarra’s father Jose. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino SEARCH “VENEZUELA INJURIES” FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH “WIDER IMAGE” FOR ALL STORIES.David Osorio, 21, an English teacher and a student, who was injured during a protest against Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro’s government, poses for a photograph inside his home in Caracas, Venezuela, August 15, 2017. Osorio said he was struck by a tear gas canister on July 7, 2017, fracturing his skull and leaving him blind in his right eye. He uses a temporary prosthetic eye while seeking specialist treatment. “I have been protesting since 2014. During the last few months, I was actively participating in all the marches, because things have gotten worse and I am against the policies of this government.” REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino SEARCH “VENEZUELA INJURIES” FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH “WIDER IMAGE” FOR ALL STORIES.Oscar Antonio Navarrete, 18, a student, who was injured during a protest against Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro’s government, lies in a hospital bed, in Caracas, Venezuela, August 17, 2017. Relatives of Navarrete said he was hit in the chest by a tear gas canister on May 18, 2017. He lost consciousness and his heart stopped for several minutes. He cannot walk, suffers short-term memory loss, severe motor sequelae and has cerebral edema – an accumulation of fluid in the brain. Today, he lives in a hospital and needs rehabilitation and treatment by specialist doctors including neurosurgeons, speech therapists and psychologists. Oscar’s mother says her son was angry about crisis in the country, and protested because it affected everyone. “It was worth it, because none of this will be forgotten. The world needs to see all this, I have faith that things will change,” said Navarrete’s mother Elizabeth. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino SEARCH “VENEZUELA INJURIES” FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH “WIDER IMAGE” FOR ALL STORIES.Najhud Najhla Colina, una estudiante de 23 años que resultó herida en una protesta contra el Gobierno de Nicolás Maduro en Venezuela, posa para una fotografía en su casa en CaracasManuel Melo, 21, a student, who was injured during a protest against Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro’s government, poses for a photograph inside his home in Caracas, Venezuela, August 3, 2017. Melo said he was hit by a police water cannon on May 22, 2017. He sustained internal injuries and lost a kidney. “I’m protesting because simple things cost a lot of money, the minimum wage is not good, the country is not good. I protest against insecurity, lack of medicine. I have millions of reasons. A man with less education than me cannot govern, we need someone new, from a university, with true principles and values.” REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino SEARCH “VENEZUELA INJURIES” FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH “WIDER IMAGE” FOR ALL STORIES.Jofre Rodriguez, 18, who was injured during a protest against Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro’s government, poses for a photograph at his home in Turmero, Venezuela, August 11, 2017. Rodriguez said his jaw was fractured by a gunshot on June 26, 2017. He underwent surgery to remove a projectile that was lodged in a vertebra but he still needs treatment and jaw reconstruction surgery. “This constituent assembly is a perversion meant to consolidate them (the ruling party) in power. I’m protesting against that. It saddens me to see my country like this. With Chavez, we had a dictatorship with a ‘political leader,’ with Maduro we have a political disaster,” he said. “I’m only 18 years old, but I’m living through the decline of Venezuela. Was it worth it? Yes, like those who died, what happened to me was a sacrifice that has inspired many people in the struggle.” REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino SEARCH “VENEZUELA INJURIES” FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH “WIDER IMAGE” FOR ALL STORIES.Jofre Rodriguez, 18, who was injured during a protest against Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro’s government, poses for a photograph at his home in Turmero, Venezuela, August 11, 2017. Rodriguez said his jaw was fractured by a gunshot on June 26, 2017. He underwent surgery to remove a projectile that was lodged in a vertebra but he still needs treatment and jaw reconstruction surgery. “This constituent assembly is a perversion meant to consolidate them (the ruling party) in power. I’m protesting against that. It saddens me to see my country like this. With Chavez, we had a dictatorship with a ‘political leader,’ with Maduro we have a political disaster,” he said. “I’m only 18 years old, but I’m living through the decline of Venezuela. Was it worth it? Yes, like those who died, what happened to me was a sacrifice that has inspired many people in the struggle.” REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino SEARCH “VENEZUELA INJURIES” FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH “WIDER IMAGE” FOR ALL STORIES.Yolyter Rodriguez, 56, a housewife and a mother-of-three, who was injured during a protest against Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro’s government, poses for a photograph at her home in Caracas, Venezuela, August 11, 2017. Rodriguez said she was struck in the face by a tear gas canister on April 23, 2017, causing skull fractures and brain damage. “I protest against hunger, for freedom and for several other reasons. But that fight is political, I’m against almost everything this government does,” she said. “It’s worth it. I try to see things in a positive way despite my appearance and that I’m not the same anymore. I’m a little sad and angry about that, but I’m still in the streets protesting, despite my physical condition. We cannot give up.” REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino SEARCH “VENEZUELA INJURIES” FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH “WIDER IMAGE” FOR ALL STORIES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
