Juan David Latorre
The Venezuelan Embassy celebrated Venezuelan Independence Day last Wednesday with a floral offering at the foot of the monument to Simón Bolívar in Madrid’s Parque del Oeste, and in the afternoon with a performance of the musical Amor en Libertad (Love in Freedom) at the Círculo de Bellas Artes.
At the offering of the monument to Simón Bolívar, the Venezuelan ambassador, Coromoto Godoy, began her speech by stressing the importance of this historic day for the Venezuelan people. “The cause of independence is not a closed chapter of history for Venezuela, it is not something from the past, it is a present issue, it is a guide for the future”, said the ambassador, while highlighting the great pending task of the emancipation of the American peoples: “The Confederation of Republics that the Liberator Simón Bolívar dreamed of did not become a reality (…) that which is still pending is a task for our generation”, she stressed.
In this regard, the ambassador vindicated Venezuela’s preponderant role on the international stage, especially in terms of the construction of a multicentric and pluripolar world. “Venezuela has resumed its vanguard role in the Latin American and Caribbean region and in the concert of nations, to promote a diplomacy of the peoples, respect for international law, the Bolivarian Diplomacy of Peace”.
Finally, Ambassador Coromoto Godoy, referring to diplomatic relations between Venezuela and Spain, stressed “the solid and deep historical ties that unite Caracas and Madrid. We have, she said, great possibilities for development and cooperation. We must persevere along this path, in this new stage of bilateral relations, on the basis of mutual respect and constructive dialogue,” the ambassador concluded.
In the afternoon, nearly 400 guests attended the musical show conceived by the renowned Andalusian dancer David Morales, inspired by the love letters exchanged between the Venezuelan Liberator and Manuela Saenz, entitled Amor en Libertad (Love in Freedom).
“The love letters between Simón Bolívar and Manuela Sáenz are a fascinating testimony of the passionate relationship, stripped of prejudice, of deep emotional connection and ideals that existed between these two giants,” said the ambassador at the presentation of the show.
Godoy Calderón also recalled that on 5 July 2010, 13 years ago, Manuela’s symbolic remains were transferred to Venezuela’s National Pantheon, to honour “a brave, passionate woman committed to the cause of independence. Her story is a reminder of the crucial role women played in the struggle for freedom in Latin America. Her legacy lives on as a symbol of courage and determination in the quest for freedom and equality”.
The musical Amor en Libertad fuses traditional dances from southern Spain with traditional Venezuelan music, in a combination that transports the audience to both sides of the Atlantic; narrating the epic romance, marked by rebellion and the thirst for freedom, between Bolívar and Manuela.
