Marcela Cubillos and Her Democratic Imposture on Venezuela
By Andres Kogan Valderrama
HAVANA TIMES – In light of what is currently happening in Venezuela, where Nicolas Maduro’s dictatorship has added a new episode of international scandal amidst a presidential election full of irregularities and lacking any transparency, various voices have emerged questioning his supposed victory.
One such voice is the President of Chile, Gabriel Boric, who, true to his democratic principles and defense of human rights worldwide, has cast doubt on the results in Venezuela, refusing to recognize Maduro’s victory until the electoral tally sheet results are released and international observers are present.
However, other opportunistic voices have also surfaced regarding the situation in Venezuela. Rather than genuinely caring about the return of democracy in that country, they are using the humanitarian crisis affecting millions to present themselves as supposedly more democratic during election times.
I am referring to the far-right candidate for mayor of Las Condes, Marcela Cubillos, who, as noted by Congressman Vlado Mirosevic, should not be demanding democracy in Venezuela while keeping a photo of Pinochet in her home. She has also slurred former Chilean President and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, on social media.
It is truly shameful that Marcela Cubillos, a well-known Pinochet supporter, presents herself as a defender of democracy and human rights. Since she was young, she supported Pinochet’s dictatorship and, unlike others on the right, has not engaged in any self-reflection or critique regarding the horrors that occurred in Chile.
Instead, she has chosen not to assume any responsibility, nor to question the systematic human rights violations that occurred in Chile over 17 years. Her criticism of Nicolas Maduro’s authoritarian regime in Venezuela highlights her immense democratic deception, as she does not genuinely care about what is happening in that country.
That said, I must also criticize certain factions of the left that are incapable of showing even a modicum of solidarity with the Venezuelan people. After reading the Chilean Communist Party’s statement on Venezuela, which downplays the scandal of the presidential election and Maduro’s brutal power concentration, it is clear that genuine, unrestricted defense of human rights is needed everywhere.
Leaders like Gabriel Boric, Michelle Bachelet, and many others worldwide have demonstrated such a defense, upholding fundamental democratic principles, unlike figures like Marcela Cubillos and a dogmatic, self-absorbed left.