“I grew up in Venezuela and had been speaking out in politics, so my parents decided it was best for me to leave the country. My dad is an American citizen so I came to the states in 2013, when I was 17 years old.”
“I didn’t know anything about politics when I first came here. I had no idea what the Democratic Party stood for or what the Republican Party represented. So, I started digging. I’m pro-God, pro-family, and pro-freedom – freedom being the very reason I came here. Many minorities, especially Hispanics, share those same values.”
“But, when I entered college, I started hearing people talk about socialism and how good it was. They have no idea what they’re asking for. When I talked to them about what socialism really is, they would say ‘that was not real socialism.’ But, I know what socialism really is.”
“I am safe in America. I don’t have to be afraid. If I was in Venezuela, I would have to be really careful because there might be someone watching me. Here, you’re allowed to say whatever you want and nobody’s going to come after you. In Venezuela, if you say something against the government you’ll have cops in front of your house within a couple of hours. You’re going to be arrested. I was robbed twice with guns pointed at me. And we’re not allowed to have guns to protect ourselves. Going to the supermarket in Venezuela, you have to wait in a huge line just to be able to go inside. Once you are in there, sometimes there is nothing left.”
“That’s what socialism does, so it’s strange to me that people want socialism. It just doesn’t work like they think it does. People use their freedom of speech to advocate for a form of government that does not protect that freedom.”
“People in my generation claim that they want socialism and want to take from the rich, but they don’t consider that most people who become wealthy have sacrificed and worked hard their whole entire life. In America, you can achieve wealth if you work hard.”
“Americans need to be aware how much the American government gives to people. All of that is paid for with money they’re taking from the taxpayers. One of the greatest things in life is that you are able to get a job, have enough money to bring food on the table and pay for your bills. That’s a blessing.”
“In countries like Venezuela, it doesn’t matter how hard you work, you’re never going to be able to have what is possible to have here in America.”
“People talk about the American Dream. To me, the American Dream represents freedom. Being able to come here, being able to speak up and being able to do the things that I do, that is freedom. And that’s one of the things that you don’t have under a socialist country.”
Maria Fernanda Bello
Virginia
Maria is the CEO and President of America’s Momentum and is a member of Our America’s board of advisors.
