For Venezuela's Independence Day (July 5), Venezuelan ambassador Tatiana Pugh Moreno writes for Việt Nam News.

"Three hundred years are not enough!" A Young Simon Bolívar exclaimed during the sessions of the Constituent Congress that had been installed in 1811. And he continued: "Let us fearlessly lay the first stone of South American freedom. To hesitate is to lose ourselves." 

With this demand to the rest of the deputies, Bolívar indicated the absolute necessity of liberating Venezuela from Spain. 

On the afternoon of July 5, 1811, with the parliamentarians in favour, they decided to move on to the final vote. Juan Antonio Rodríguez, president of the Congress, then announced the absolute independence of the country:  “I solemnly declare the independence of Venezuela. This frees us from slavery in which we have remained until now.”

This historic event, sealed with the signing of the Act of Independence, marked the political and social destiny of our country. Venezuela would be the first country in Latin America to declare its independence. But Bolívar always thought of a united Latin America capable of defending its own interests: La Patria Grande (the Great Homeland).

Raising the National Flag at the National Pantheon on the celebration of the 210th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of Venezuela (July 5, 2021). Photo courtesy of the embassy

From 1811 onwards, our Father Liberator would still have to fight many battles with his Bolivarian army to liberate Venezuela and five other countries: Colombia, Panama, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia from the Spanish empire.

Last year we celebrated the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Carabobo, a battle that liberated us from the Spanish Empire thanks to the military expertise of Bolívar.

Despite all his efforts and glories, Bolívar believed he had ploughed the sea, as he said in his last proclamation before his death in 1830. The enemies of the Homeland had succeeded in separating us, and the Bolivarian project seemed only a dream.

Almost two hundred years later, the Bolivarian Revolution recovered these values. President Hugo Chávez traced the path towards the second and definitive independence. Along with the joy we feel today, we also want to remember that the Venezuelan people have made the irrevocable decision to be a sovereign and independent country.

When today we celebrate July 5 as our National Day, we also celebrate the courage of a people that have resisted and continue to fight against multiple aggressions. A people convinced that our destiny is prosperity, freedom, sovereignty and independence.

Fortunately, Venezuela has many friends in the world who have shown solidarity with us. Many people have watched in admiration as Venezuela has resisted and today stands as a nation recovering its prosperity. A country that advances unstoppably towards the construction of Bolivarian Socialism in the five dimensions defined by the giant Hugo Chávez: political, economic, social, moral and territorial socialism.

Despite the great difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic and the aggressions against Venezuela, the government of President Nicolas Maduro is committed to the recovery of the economic prosperity of our country.

To this end, we are obliged to build our productive and diversified economic model, attracting domestic and foreign investment to develop national productive forces, raise the country's income and achieve the highest possible levels of prosperity. The growth projections for this year are encouraging, making Venezuela the highest economic growth in the region.

In Venezuela, we are aware that this is possible if we deepen our democratic model, based on the direct exercise of power by the people, with the strengthening of Communal Power and if we maintain the values of solidarity, cooperation and awareness of social duty, to build the Bolivarian Socialism of the 21st century.

As President Nicolas Maduro said: "Let no one be confused! Here, there are a people ready to give their lives for the present and future glories and hope for a happy, humane and socialist homeland." That is our destiny! VNS