Venezuela: Introducing Falun Dafa and Clarifying the Truth in the Capital City of Caracas

Between October 16th to November 13th, 2006, two Falun Gong practitioners from Peru, together with Venezuela Falun Dafa practitioners, held a series of activities in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. They introduced Falun Dafa, clarified the truth about Falun Gong and exposed the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) atrocities. The persecution of Falun Gong practitioners strongly touched people's hearts, and awakened people's conscience and justice.

People in Venezuela learn facts about Falun Gong
Practitioners study the Fa and do the exercises

Venezuelans love sports. On weekends, many people drive to parks in the early morning to go jogging, walking or other exercises. Parque del este (East Park) is a place where people from all walks of life in the capital do morning exercises and take a walk. Falun Gong practitioners' practice site is near the running area. When truth clarification photos exposing the CCP atrocities of harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners were displayed in front of people, many people stopped to view the photos, and looked solemn and stunned. They came over to inquire and wanted to sign the petition to support efforts to put an end to the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.

After looking at all of the photos, kind and upright Venezuela people thanked practitioners who displayed the truth clarification photos. They thanked Falun Gong practitioners for telling them of the facts about this large scale of "unprecedented evil on this planet." A woman who was jogging said emotionally after viewing the photos, "We can't allow the Communist Party, such an evil, to exist in Venezuela. You let us know the truth, what you've done is extremely right. You should continue your efforts, go everywhere to tell people, and let all people in Venezuela learn what is happening in China."

Many people who were walking took flyers and gave us the thumbs-up to express their appreciation. One woman viewed all of the photos, and requested flyers from practitioners, saying that she would show them to her family. She said to practitioners in tears, "I've viewed the photos and read the flyer. I'm afraid that if our country was like Communist China, one day we would also be like these persecuted people. I don't want this to happen. I support you. Thank you very much for telling us the things happening in China. I'll let all my family members know this."

There were also a couple of people who were not quite clear about the truth. One day, a man pointed out the flyers saying that practitioners are engaged in a faction. Practitioners were at a loss and asked him to explain. He explained that Venezuela is having elections for the presidency, the president uses the colour red, and blue is the colour of the opposing faction. The colour of the practitioners' flyers is blue, the same colour as that of the opposing faction. Practitioners calmly told him, "We came from Peru, the flyers were printed in Peru. When we printed flyers, we were simply not aware of the presidential campaign in Venezuela, let alone that the opposition uses a blue colour. We only want to tell people in Venezuela about what is happening in China." While explaining, a practitioner handed a flyer to him and said politely, "Thank you for telling us about your presidential election, please also pay attention to the Chinese Communist Party's persecution of Falun Gong practitioners." The man happily accepted the flyer and shook hands with practitioners, saying, "Thank you, I'm glad to meet you."

During the period, Falun Gong practitioners also paid a visit to the office of the mayor of Chacao. After learning about the CCP crimes, the mayor's secretary happily said that she would pass the materials to the mayor. The materials included the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party (Spanish version) and the investigative report titled "Report into Allegations of Organ Harvesting of Falun Gong Practitioners in China" (Spanish version) written by former Canadian State Secretary of Asia and Pacific David Kilgour, and international human rights lawyer David Matas.

Practitioners also visited radios stations, newspapers, television stations and other media. Venezuela's state radio, "Radio de National" held an interview with Falun Gong practitioners. Through the radio station, Falun Gong practitioners introduced Falun Dafa to the people of Venezuela, helping people from all walks of life learn about the wonderfulness of Falun Dafa. Before leaving, radio station staff said to practitioners, "The doors of the radio station are open for you, and you are most welcome to visit at any time."

An influential newspapers in Venezuela, El Universal and Último Noticia interviewed Falun Gong practitioners. The office building of the Último Noticia is located at a famous tourist spot in Venezuela, Panteon. When practitioners distributed flyers and did the exercises at the tourist spot, they met with staff from the national television station who attended the third anniversary of the launch of broadcasting. They listened to practitioners' introduction and showed great interest. They said, "This is very serious traditional Chinese culture, and should be broadcast in the life column on the TV station." They wrote down the name of the moderator of the programme and made an appointment for them.

Since February 2001, when the Falun Gong practice site was set up in Venezuela, the majority of practitioners are new practitioners. In April 2001, when Jiang came to Venezuela, the local police, who had not learned the truth about the persecution, arrested the coordinator of the Venezuela Falun Gong practitioners, and also the only assistant (a Chinese person) at the time. At the practice site that was only set up two months prior, Venezuela Falun Gong practitioners witnessed the police violently remove display boards and Falun Gong truth clarification flyers, due to the CCP's evil instigation.

When the assistant's whereabouts were unknown, and there was no exercise music, practitioners still finished the five sets of exercises at the practice site. The practitioners' firm belief in Falun Dafa shook the evil. In subsequent years, practitioners have came and gone, one group after another. The practice site has become an indispensable attraction for local people.

With the progress of Fa-rectification, it is very important that practitioners understand and make improvements based on the Fa [teaching of Falun Gong]. Master gives every practitioner many opportunities to improve. New practitioner Byron only practised the exercises at the practice site for four months. Before practising Falun Gong, he almost lost his life in an traffic accident, and he lost his memory and the ability to take care of himself. He was confined to a bed for six months. When he was able to move a bit, for some reason, he asked someone to help him go to the East Park. On that day his predestined relationship with Dafa was established, and a new life began. He said Dafa gave him a new life, but he wondered how to thank Master and Dafa. He said he would like offer his own restaurant for holding Dafa activities. Thus, the "Nine-day Video Lecture Study Session" in Spanish was open for the first time on October 30th, 2006 in Caracas, and it turned out to be very successful.

Dafa practitioners have been waiting for such a place to hold the video lecture for several years.

Venezuela practitioners have gradually realised the importance of studying the Fa during their Fa-validation. They strive hard to do well the three things Master requires of practitioners - sending forth righteous thoughts, studying the Fa and clarifying the truth. They will cultivate themselves well and rescue sentient beings with the purest state of mind.