It didn’t take long for the image to go viral: a doll with the face of burning in the middle of the street in Caracas on Easter Sunday. But it was not an isolated gesture. It was part of the traditional a celebration with centuries of history that in Venezuela has become more than a symbolic rite: a political thermometer of the country.
This year, the protagonist in some neighborhoods was the president of USA. In the well-known January 23 sector, a bastion of Chavismo, several groups burned figures with his image accompanied by especially harsh messages. In one of the posters I could read him as a “pedophile, murderer and thief”, while others accused him of wanting to “bomb Venezuela.”
A tradition that is no longer just tradition
The Burning of Judas consists of setting fire to a doll that symbolizes betrayal, but in many Latin American countries – and especially in Venezuela– has become a form of popular protest against political figures or social situations.
It is not the first time that Trump appears in these figures. In previous years he had already been represented along with other leaders in this celebration, reflecting the rejection of certain sectors of the population.
But on this occasion, the context is especially tense, with direct accusations about alleged recent military attacks and a growing political confrontation.
From Chavismo to the opposition: everyone burns their “Judas”
The scene was neither unique nor homogeneous. While in areas related to the ruling party the target was Trump, andIn other parts of Caracas the protest took a completely different turn.
At the doors of The Helicoidone of the headquarters of the Venezuelan intelligence service, relatives of political prisoners also burned their own Judas. In this case, the doll represented the situation of the detainees, with a hood included, denouncing disappearances and the lack of rights.
“Today we still have missing people,” denounced activist Diego Casanova during the protest, in which relatives exhibited photographs of their loved ones.
Between popular festival and political message
Beyond the tension, the tradition also maintains its community component. In neighborhoods like The Cemetery, with more than 80 years of history in this celebration, The neighbors chose to burn symbolic figures such as “indifference”, moving away from specific names.
There, the day combined social criticism with a festive atmosphere: distribution of food, activities for children and a closing marked by fire, as tradition dictates.
Because in Venezuela, every year, The Burning of Judas does not only look at the religious past. It also points out – with names and surnames – what burns in the present.
