'Freedom!' chants at Venezuelan opposition rallies ahead of election show depth of needs and fear

BARINAS, Venezuela (AP) — The chant is concise, but it could not be more meaningful for millions of Venezuelans in 2024: “Freedom!”

Members of the country's political opposition shout it with tears in their eyes, or red angry faces, or with hopeful ear-to-ear smiles. They shout it with Venezuelan flags in their hands or holding their children. They shout it sporting a soccer jersey or wearing a political party’s T-shirt.

The calls for “libertad" have been a staple of the opposition’s events ahead of the highly anticipated July 28 presidential election. With the official start of campaigns this week, they were deafening during a massive rally Saturday in the western Venezuelan state of Barinas, the home state of the late fiery President Hugo Chávez.

Students, state employees, retirees, agriculture workers and business owners were among the thousands gathered in support of Edmundo González Urrutia, the only candidate with a real chance of ending President Nicolás Maduro’s quest for a third term. Their chants, collectively, represent long-sought freedom from the 25-year rule of self-described socialist governments. Individually, people are seeking wide-ranging freedoms, including the freedom to post government criticisms on social media without fearing repercussions.

“I want economic freedom, freedom of purchasing power, freedom of a living wage,” Virginia Linares, 41, said with teary eyes. “We feel locked in, we feel like something is being taken away from us because a salary that is not decent is a salary that overshadows us as people, we do not achieve the things we want, our dreams.”

Public employees these days earn a monthly minimum wage of about $3.60 plus $130 in bonuses, while private-sector workers make on average $210 a month. Neither monthly pay is enough for a family to buy a basic basket of goods, which costs about $380.

Linares lost her beauty supply store in 2017 as a result of the social, economic and political crisis that has marked the entirety of Maduro’s 11-year presidency. Her business is now online only, and her concerns over the country’s economic conditions have increased now that her 17-year-old son has finished high school and is thinking about his future.

The July 28 election is shaping up to be the biggest challenge that Venezuela’s ruling party has faced since Chávez became president in 1999. The party wants to maintain its absolute control for six more years, but its base, including in Barinas, is divided and disenchanted over the crisis.

The state had long been a bastion of the late president’s movement, Chavismo. His brothers, Argenis Chávez and Adán Chávez, and father, Hugo de los Reyes Chávez, all served stints as governor from 1998 to 2021. The opposition ended the Chávezes reign and has since used that victory as motivation for its base.

Chávez, elected in 1998, promised to improve the lives of Venezuela’s poorest using the country’s oil. He expanded social services, including housing and education thanks to the country’s oil bonanza, which generated revenues estimated at some $981 billion between 1999 and 2011 as oil prices soared.

But corruption, a decline in oil production and economic policies led to a crisis that became evident in 2012. Before Chávez's death of cancer in 2013, he picked Maduro as his successor.

Maduro and his United Socialist Party of Venezuela have fended off challenges by barring rivals from elections and painting them as out-of-touch elitists in league with foreign powers. This time, their government control led to a court ruling blocking the candidacy of opposition powerhouse Maria Corina Machado, who won the October primary of the Unitary Platform coalition with more than 90% of support.

She has thrown her support behind González, a former ambassador who’s never held public office. At opposition rallies, including Saturday’s, people say they will undoubtedly vote for González but also acknowledge that it is Machado who they see as leader.

Venezuela’s crisis has motivated more than 7.7 million people to migrate. When González asked the crowd to raise their hand if one of their relatives had migrated, people were quick to react. He promised them to create conditions so that their loved ones can return.

Miguel Herrera, a school handyman, is worried that his teenage daughters might end up migrating in a few years if Maduro is reelected. He thinks that just as Barinas ushered the opposition into the governor’s office, voters across the country can get González elected later this month.

His chants for freedom Saturday were for a change that would give his children the freedom to choose to stay in Venezuela. He also wants his rights to quality health care and other public services to be respected.

“I don’t want my daughters to go somewhere else, at all,” said Herrera, who voted for Maduro in the past two elections. “Politicians made promises and they didn’t deliver and people began to wake up until they opened their eyes. We need change.”

Supporters of opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez cheer during his campaign rally in Barinas, Venezuela, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

A supporter of opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez holds a poster featuring the presidential ballot as thousands wait for his arrival at a campaign rally in Barinas, Venezuela, Saturday, July 6, 2024. The official campaign period for the July 28 election kicked off on July 4. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

Supporters of opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez get revved up as they wait for his arrival at a campaign rally in Barinas, Venezuela, Saturday, July 6, 2024. The official campaign period for the July 28 election kicked off on July 4. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez flashes a thumbs up at supporters during his campaign rally in Barinas, Venezuela, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

Supporters of opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez get revved up as thousands wait for his arrival at a campaign rally in Barinas, Venezuela, Saturday, July 6, 2024. The official campaign period for the July 28 election kicked off on July 4. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado greets supporters at a campaign rally for presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, in Barinas, Venezuela, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

Supporters stand on the roof of a building adorned with a banner with a message that reads Spanish; "If Barinas could, Venezuela can" during a campaign rally for opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez in Barinas, Venezuela, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado and presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez greet supporters at his campaign rally in Barinas, Venezuela, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

Supporters of opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez raise their hands in unison at a campaign rally in Barinas, Venezuela, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, accompanied by wife Mercedes, flashes a thumbs up at supporters as he arrives to his campaign rally in Barinas, Venezuela, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

Venezuelan presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado parade on a truck transporting them through a crowd of supporters during a campaign rally in Barinas, Venezuela, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

A supporter of opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez cheers as thousnads wait for his arrival at a campaign rally in Barinas, Venezuela, Saturday, July 6, 2024. The official campaign period for the July 28 election kicked off on July 4. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

BERLIN (AP) — Bayern Munich won without playing on Saturday as Bundesliga rivals Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund dropped points to modest opponents.

Dortmund slumped at Union Berlin to a 2-1 defeat without injured forward Karim Adeyemi, who starred in the team’s 7-1 rout of Celtic in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Defending champion Leverkusen squandered an early two-goal lead over promoted Holstein Kiel and drew 2-2. It was only Kiel’s second point in its debut top-flight season.

Leverkusen played in a special black jersey with red trim to commemorate the club’s 120th anniversary, and for Xabi Alonso it was also a special occasion – the Spanish coach took over exactly two years before.

Leverkusen fans didn’t have to wait long to celebrate after Victor Boniface opened the scoring in the fourth minute and Jonas Hofmann made it 2-0 four minutes after that. Leverkusen looked set for a rout.

But the home team failed to make more of its dominance — Boniface had another goal ruled out for offside — and Kiel secured a lifeline before the break when Max Geschwil scored after a corner. Fiete Arp scored an unlikely equalizer from the penalty spot in the 69th.

Also, Freiburg won at Werder Bremen 1-0, and Wolfsburg enjoyed a 3-1 win in Wolfsburg.

St. Pauli was playing Mainz later.

League leader Bayern visits second-placed Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday.

Leverkusen's head coach Xabi Alonso reacts during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and Holstein Kiel at the BayArena in Leverkusen, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Dortmund's Sebastien Haller talks to a referee during the Bundesliga soccer match between Union Berlin and Borussia Dortmund in Berlin, Germany, on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024.(AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Dortmund's Waldemar Anton, left, and Union's Benedict Hollerbach fight for the ball during the Bundesliga soccer match between Union Berlin and Borussia Dortmund in Berlin, Germany, on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024.(AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Union's Benedict Hollerbach, left, and Dortmund's Pascal Gross jump for the ball during the Bundesliga soccer match between Union Berlin and Borussia Dortmund in Berlin, Germany, on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024.(AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Berlin players celebrate after a goal during the Bundesliga soccer match between Union Berlin and Borussia Dortmund in Berlin, Germany, on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024.(AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Union's Kevin Vogt stops the ball in front of Dortmund's Julien Duranville during the Bundesliga soccer match between Union Berlin and Borussia Dortmund in Berlin, Germany, on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024.(AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Dortmund's Sebastien Haller, left, and Union's Christopher Trimmel jump for the ball during the Bundesliga soccer match between Union Berlin and Borussia Dortmund in Berlin, Germany, on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Dortmund's Maximilian Beier outruns Union's Diogo Leite during the Bundesliga soccer match between Union Berlin and Borussia Dortmund in Berlin, Germany, on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024.(AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)