For years growing up in Venezuela I knew something was wrong. When I discovered the ideas of liberty, I finally figured out what the problem was.
I was born the year Chávez came to power, and by the time I turned 21, I had never experienced freedom. Even though I didn’t know what freedom felt like, I could sense that something was very wrong with the world around me. In Venezuela, new ideas were rejected, private property was attacked, and rich people were hated. It was hard for me to believe that anyone could be considered bad just for enjoying the results of their hard work. Life in Venezuela felt like the dark, oppressive stories I read in books—books that were often destroyed by the government, like 1984 or Fahrenheit 451.
Determined to understand what freedom truly meant, I set out on a personal quest for knowledge. This journey led me to attend a FEE online program conducted in my native language, which proved to be a turning point in my life. The message from FEE deeply resonated with my core beliefs, making it one of the most transformative experiences I’ve ever had. It not only expanded my academic horizons but also ignited a passionate drive within me to advocate for the principles of free societies. Amidst the overwhelming scarcities that plagued my country, freedom emerged as the most desperately urgent need.
FEE provided me with not only a deep understanding of the freedom philosophy, but also the practical tools to spread this knowledge. In 2022 I ventured to the border where thousands were stranded, waiting to cross from Táchira, Venezuela, to Cúcuta, Colombia. Many of these young people had been deprived of education for months, even years. The educational crisis in Venezuela, especially at the border, made it clear to me that this was where I needed to share these life-changing ideas.
For an entire week, I dedicated over 40 hours to delivering programs to hundreds of young minds. One story stands out: Juan, a 13-year-old who didn’t even know what an entrepreneur was. When power cuts made refrigerators useless in his community, he started selling ice to help. He was actually an entrepreneur, even though he didn’t know it. Under Maduro’s regime, his initiative would have been dismissed as opportunism rather than applauded as a noble effort to help others.
At that border, I saw the flickering hope of my country slipping away.
I continued my mission, replicating the programs across a third of the country. In every classroom, I encountered groups of “aspirational imperialists” whom the regime would have targeted if they succeeded. The dreams of my generation felt like they were being held hostage.
After 13 months, during one of my final workshops in Venezuela, four intelligence agents interrupted my session. They pulled me off the stage and tried to intimidate me for my beliefs. It became painfully clear that there was no future for me in Venezuela.
With FEE’s support, I carried on my mission from abroad. In just a year, we reached 2,466 students in Venezuela, and I was overjoyed to be part of such a significant effort, surrounded by people who shared this vision. Now in the U.S., I have been able to continue with my passion promoting the freedom philosophy in the U.S., also creating opportunities for Hispanic students who now live in this country.
I dream of a future where Venezuela once again becomes the country I only know from history books—a place where individuals are free to pursue their passions without fear or restriction, where creativity and hard work are celebrated, and where everyone has the opportunity to chase and achieve their dreams.