Livia Gouverneur: Example of an untamed struggle against repression (+Christmas)

Published at: 14/07/2024 08:07 AM

On July 14, 1941, Livia Gouverneur, a social fighter during the government of Romulo Betancourt, was born in the parish of Saint Augustine.

Gouverneur was the oldest of 11 siblings, with a raspy and strong voice, active, scathing, sensitive poet since she was 7 years old.

This revolutionary martyr, member of the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV), a student of Psychology at the Central University of Venezuela (UCV) and belonged to the Association of Psychology Students. With only 20, Gouverneur faced a fierce struggle in opposition to the counterinsurgency repression instructed by the United States, during the Adeco administration.

A few hours before his brutal murder, his mother, Doña Lola, worried about the suspension of constitutional guarantees, asked him to take care of himself: “Look, Betancourt said that you have to shoot first and find out later... what you're looking for is not to let you go”, and to this maternal statement, Livia the rebel replies: “I'm running away! Besides, I die defending a cause.”

November 1, 1961, is a date that revolutionary student leaders must never forget. A sudden impact of a bullet fired by the Betancourt police blinded Gouverneur's life.

83 years after his birth, Gouverneur is an example of commitment and love for social justice.