Venezuelan nurse/attorney Ana Rosario Contreras, President of the Caracas Nurses’ Association, has taken on her country’s power structure, calling out authorities for their gross mishandling of the pandemic. 

In a country whose leaders regularly harass, arrest, imprison and torture their critics, Contreras is speaking out to champion the 80% of Venezuelans who live in poverty, have no power at all, and are dying at alarming rates in the pandemic—and all the health care workers who are trying to keep them alive. The nation’s medical system was breaking down before the pandemic hit; an existing shortage of health care professionals has meant a huge overload now on clinic and hospital staffs. They’re working without the protective gear that would keep them safe; more than 300 nurses have died. To date no nurses or doctors have been vaccinated; government officials took the first vaccines that arrived for themselves.

Contreras is telling the world about that. “It is not fair that a group that is already vaccinated is the same group that denies vaccination to Venezuelans. The health sector is dying.”

Ironically, the government response has been to urge citizens to do “one-minute of applause,” for all the brave medical personnel.

Contreras’ response?  “We do not need applause. We need inputs, personal protection equipment to avoid getting infected, breathers and enough beds to attend cases, and a sufficient salary to supply our homes with food.”

Contreras knows that what she’s doing is dangerous. “Many times we are afraid of being arrested or assaulted to silence our voice, but that has only shown that the Venezuelan nurse and woman is resilient. We have turned fear into a force that propels us forward."