/r/handsoffvenezuela
This community is dedicated to sharing information about Venezuela from socialist, internationalist, and anti-imperialist perspectives. General topics include U.S. meddling (sanctions, coups, etc.), the Bolivarian Revolution, analysis of Western media coverage, race and class, right-wing opposition, capitalist sabotage, current events, activism, and more.
This community is dedicated to sharing information about Venezuela from a socialist, anti-imperialist perspective. General topics include U.S. meddling (sanctions, coups, etc.), the Bolivarian Revolution, analysis of Western media coverage, current events, race and class in Venezuela, the right-wing opposition/ capitalist sabotage, and more. Users who demonstrate sympathy for fascism, racism, colonialism, imperialism, etc. will be blocked.
/r/handsoffvenezuela
I live in Canada and saw Simón based on the reccomendation of a Venezuelan immigrant I know. This person was a vocal supporter of Guaido when that whole thing happened, so I didn't really expect the film to be super nuanced. Overall, (political analysis aside) I thought the film was very good: well acted, well directed, creative editing, and great sound design. However, I didn't really gain any new insight from it and I left with the same feeling I get every time I hear the lib Venezuelans I know talk about the situation in the country: I feel like I'm just completely missing something; or rather, that they themselves—as well as the film—flagrantly overlook the US's roll in Venezuela's economic crisis; the food shortages, the medecine shortages, CIA backed coup attempts, etc...
I'd really love to hear the thoughts of any Venezuelan's here who have Simón. What's your take?
*Spoiler*
I found Melissa's character particularly ironic. The idea of this rich white women going through hoops to help Simón get insulin to Venezuela (which the film illustrates is also very inaccessible in America given the criminal price) realy made me writhe. To me she represented white, liberal America which benefits from the sanctions (and the broader explotation of Latin America) causing the conditions in Venezuela today which have forced so many to leave the country. I didn't really feel like the this irony was deliberate.