Venezuelan singer Gerardo Valentín toured South Africa and Namibia as part of the Viva Venezuela mission to bring Venezuelan culture to the people of the world.
Against a backdrop of the national flags of Venezuela and South Africa, Venezuelan musician Gerardo Valentín stands with his cuatro (a string instrument similar to the guitar, played throughout Latin America), the patriotic colors of his homeland draped around his neck: blue, red, yellow and white. His effervescent performance for a small audience in the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Pretoria connects the two continents.
A shared cultural heritage
Organized as part of the Great Viva Venezuela Mission, My Beloved Homeland cultural initiative launched by the Venezuelan government, this cultural exchange saw Valentín perform at schools, universities and various communities throughout Namibia and South Africa, giving the people a taste of his unique blend of traditional Venezuelan folk music, salsa and more. "A big body of our rhythms in Latin America come from the African continent, and the music we produce expresses our African heritage," says Valentín.
Valentín shared that in Namibia he was surprised to see that the people know the lyrics to the song "Bella Ciao". "In every school he performed, the children were singing and dancing to the anti-fascist song of the peasants in Italy. This is important and reflects the value of culture and songs, not only in terms of our identity but also as a tool for building a new world," said Carlos Feo, Ambassador to Venezuela in South Africa.
¡Que viva la música y su capacidad de romper fronteras!Miren la energía de estos niños en una escuela de Namibia 🇳🇦 pic.twitter.com/MgDckUQljl-- Gerardo Valentin (@GerardoValentin) February 7, 2025
Viva Venezuela: An antidote to US imperialism
The Great Viva Venezuela Mission, My Beloved Homeland was launched a year ago by President Nicolás Maduro who said it would be the best "vaccine" and "antidote" to the singular Western cultural hegemony imposed by US imperialism. In 2023, the United States accounted for approximately 40.9% of global recorded music revenues, underscoring its significant influence in the global music landscape. The project name, "Viva Venezuela", refers to a popular Venezuelan folk song, 'Viva Venezuela Mi Patria Querida' [Long Live Venezuela, My Beloved Homeland], that expresses deep love and pride for Venezuela. It is widely recognized as an unofficial patriotic anthem, celebrating the country's beauty, culture, and people.
With eight vertices, the cultural project aims to carry out, preserve and spread Venezuelan culture, protecting and promoting the country's cultural heritage. Musicians such as Valentín, act as cultural ambassadors who share Venezuelan culture across the world, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "All our musicians, artists, poets and painters are part of this program to extend and promote Venezuelan culture. Culture is the best way to obtain peace," says Valentín.
Culture connects people to overcome sanctions
Studies by the Center for Economic and Policy Research show that US sanctions have cut off Venezuelan access to global markets, including cultural exchanges. Reflecting on the role of culture in connecting people as a response to or way of overcoming sanctions, Valentín says that, "We have an ideological attack against our country but there are many ways to protect our identity. Culture is one way, the media is another. We use culture to protect our identity against the war against Venezuela."
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Feo adds, "Culture plays a significant role in struggles for liberation and emancipation, for building a revolution. In the case of Venezuela, a socialist revolution. To be proud of our roots, our identity is a very significant factor for building a revolution. A revolution has to also be a cultural revolution."
Feo emphasizes, "To see the Venezuelan people as a people with culture, a people with feelings that get through the criminal strategies of sanctions imposed by the US government is important. We are human beings that are fighting against those sanctions. More importantly, we are a resilient people. Even with sanctions, we are going forward - we are dancing, still having parties, still filled with song - and the songs are part of our struggles."
Kate Janse Van Rensburg is part of the Pan Africanism Today Secretariat, the regional articulation of the International Peoples' Assembly for Sub Saharan Africa.
