Right after the big event of the US presidential election ended, I boarded a plane to Venezuela without going back to Korea.
The scenery of Bolivar Airport, which I visited again after half a year, was more desolate.
In the past, there were sparse tourists, but now there is no such thing, so only armed police wander around.
“Daniel! I do!”
At the arrival hall at the airport, Simon Romero, the third son of the Romero family and Jesse’s younger brother, was there to meet him.
“Welcome to Venezuela.”
“Mr. Romero, nice to meet you. Haven’t you been doing anything in the meantime?”
“Yes, nothing has changed since Daniel visited.”
The fact that nothing had changed meant that Venezuela was still in a state of crisis.
From the beginning, there was no expectation that Venezuela’s economic difficulties would improve in a short period of time. As long as the political problem is not resolved, the US economic sanctions have no choice but to continue.
“I have heard that the scheduled elections have not been held. Did President Maduro try his hand in advance?”
“Not only the election, but also the impeachment vote, which was prepared with a series of hits, was canceled.”
“Oops. You must be very heartbroken.”
“It’s enough for politicians like us to wait for the next opportunity, but I’m worried that the citizens will be able to hold out until then.”
Venezuela will continue to be like this.
The more the dictatorship shouts anti-Americanism, the more the people will suffer, and when the Covid crisis comes to this.
‘The real version of Hell will literally unfold.’
Knowing such a future, I could not easily turn a blind eye to the crisis in Venezuela.
Of course, as much as I had invested in advance, I needed to normalize Venezuela in order to make a profit.
“By the way, Jessie didn’t come out? Every time I called, they asked me when I would come, but they didn’t come to pick me up at the airport.”
“Ah, sister… … .”
Simon’s face darkens in an instant.
“Is something wrong with Jesse?”
“Three days ago, I got into an accident while attending a protest to oust Maduro.”
“Are you buying? what all of a sudden.”
“During the demonstration, I was swept away by artillery fire from the military… … .”
You fired guns to quell the protesters?
It was so absurd that I had to doubt my ears.
“So how are you now?”
“There is no danger to life, but he is being treated for severe burns.”
In my mind full of worries, the thought of being fortunate among misfortunes comes to mind.
“Let’s go to Jessie’s place quickly.”
* * *
“I think this is the direction to the Romero mansion.”
“My sister is being treated at home.”
“Severe burns? Then you should be treated at the hospital.”
“It has been a long time since there are no doctors in Venezuela hospitals. So right now there is no other way than to be treated at home.”
It was an absurd sound, but here in Venezuela, that absurd sound has become a daily life.
“My sister is in the annex of the mansion. Let’s go. Daniel should be waiting for you by now.”
As soon as he arrives at the Romero Mansion, he walks toward the annex as if running. I lived in a separate building on my last visit, so there was no fear of getting lost.
smart.
Standing in front of the door to the outbuilding, I knocked first. Then, a weak voice came from within.
“Is this Woohyuk?”
“okay. it’s me.”
“You didn’t come when I told you to come, so why… … You just came.”
“sorry. I’ve been busy with work lately. I’ll go in now.”
I open the sliding door and try to enter, but an urgent voice interrupts me.
“wait for a sec. don’t come in Let’s just talk outside the door. me… … It’s a bit ugly.”
“Is your face hurt?”
“no. It’s not like that… … .”
“Then go in.”
Without waiting for an answer, I open the door and enter. Inside the outbuilding, there was a white sheet that could be used in a hospital, and Jesse was lying on it.
Starting from her back, her entire right arm was covered in bright red blisters.
I would never have thought that the person we were exchanging jokes on the phone with just three days ago would end up like this.
‘If I had used my hand sooner, wouldn’t this have happened? Even if he had only cared enough to hold the election… … .’
So far, I have heard about the protests in Venezuela several times, but I have not been very impressed.
Protests against dictators in the Third World are not common. Besides, the location was on the other side of the globe, South America.
However, seeing the injured Jessi, the protests that seemed far away come to be terribly realistic.
“Aren’t the wounds very ugly? I want to cover it up, but I can’t wear anything right now.”
“Just stay here.”
“I have guests coming from afar, but I can’t lie down.”
Jesse struggles to get himself up. I tried to restrain myself, but I couldn’t break her stubbornness.
“Jam. Still, the front is fine, right?”
“… … .”
“Why do you keep looking like that? no one is dead look. i’m fine Or would you like to touch my breasts?”
“Is it time to joke?”
Jesse laughs and sticks out his tongue. It was the look of her I knew, but today, for some reason, I seem to see a shadow in that smile.
“You said it happened during a protest?”
“that’s right. It’s kind of like a decoration. Isn’t it cool to think like that?”
“What is the decoration? I told you to come to Korea.”
“The country is in a crisis situation, so we have to fight together. You too will take the lead in fighting if Korea falls into a crisis. is not it?”
“well. Because I’m not that patriotic.”
That’s what I said, but if Korea falls into a terrible situation like Venezuela, I will have no choice but to go to help.
“Anyway, did you succeed?”
“what?”
“Operation to make President Trump. Everyone in the media expected Hillary to be elected, so I honestly thought it wouldn’t happen.”
“I don’t bet on odds.”
“So you mean there is hope for Venezuela too?”
When I nodded, a real smile bloomed on her face.
“Since you say so, I feel relieved for some reason.”
“As you know, the Venezuela issue is not a problem that can be solved just because I am good at it. If you don’t support it from the inside, it could become nothing in an instant.”
“You don’t have to worry about that. Because it looks like there will be a decision soon.”
“A decision?”
She points to her burnt right arm.
“Because of my injury, the poison of the men in my house has risen. The first brother, who was a principled person, must have been particularly shocked.”
Her first older brother is Edwin Romero, who is currently the leader of the opposition party in Venezuela.
He has tried several times to hold a referendum on the removal of Maduro through a democratic process.
However, as a result, the vote was canceled, and recently, his approval rating has been declining.
“You seem to think he was hurt because of you.”
“that’s right. So this time, it seems that he intends to bring down Maduro even if he throws away his stubbornness and uses a radical method.”
The only radical methods available now are coups and assassinations.
Even if both sides succeed, Venezuela will be in turmoil for a while. In the meantime, the people of Venezuela will have to go through a painful time again.
‘The only way to fix the chaos is to revive the shattered economy as soon as possible. If so, how… … .’
While I’m organizing my thoughts, Jessie comes over, almost crawling.
The process was so painful that her forehead, shoulders, and breastbone were already covered with sweat.
“Jesse, what are you doing? stop!”
Even if I tried to dry it, it was no use. She groaned, crawled all the way, and fell prostrate at my feet.
“please. Please help us, our Venezuela.”
“Okay, wake up.”
While I was holding her body up, even in that short moment, her whole body was trembling like a spasm.
“It really helps… … Right?”
“Because I will help you even to recoup my investment. Please don’t do anything like this.”
“lol. thank god.”
Jessie leans against me, smiles again and closes her eyes. It seems that the limit of physical strength has reached.
“I’m sorry, but could you take me back to your original seat? moving… … It’s a little tough.”
I hugged her and was startled.
My body was too stiff. Without exaggeration, it was enough to believe that it was a piece of wood, not a person.
“you’re stupid? If your body is like this, I’ll start worrying about you. Don’t let me go if you do this in the future. okay?”
“Why are you suddenly angry?”
“Answer me quickly.”
“okay… … .”
Annoyance soars. I’m not annoyed because of her.
The people here are so desperate, but I was annoyed at me for not taking it seriously and postponing the work to a lower priority.
* * *
From noble mtl dot com
A private room at the Eastern Hotel in Seoul.
In the room, four chaebol heads, who are said to be hard to see even one, were gathered and waiting for someone.
“hmm… … How long do we have to wait?”
SG Group Chairman Yoo Seong-gwang, sitting on the left side of the table, shows an uncomfortable expression. Daehyun Group Chairman Lee Tae-seok also raised his voice.
“I don’t know what you’re trying to do with busy people sitting down. Shouldn’t you wait or not at least explain the situation?”
Their eyes were on Vice Chairman Jeon Yong-taek of Oh Seong, who was sitting in the center.
He bows his head as if he is sorry and goes to the probation.
“sorry. We will be in touch soon, so please wait a little longer.”
“No, so you want me to tell you exactly what you’re gathering us to do? They gathered because they were related to Trump… … .”
Just then, a knock was heard at the entrance to the private room. Then, immediately with an ‘iron scoop’, the door opens.
“hello. Have you been waiting long?”
The person who opened the door and entered was a young man who looked to be in his early 30s at most.
While the chaebol heads are bewildered, Jeon Yong-taek greets them.
“no. We just came too. Please sit here.”
Jeon Yong-taek guides him to the table of honor. Meanwhile, Chairman Lee Tae-seok stared at him and said,
“Are you from WHTS Company?”
“you’re right. I am Woohyuk Shin, the CEO of WHTS Company. It’s an honor to meet people you only see on TV.”
The chaebol heads were staggering. I came all this way because it was related to Trump, but the only one who showed up was the representative of a fledgling company.
He drags on the conversation before the gunmen can say anything.
“The reason I brought you here is to propose a large-scale overseas investment.”
“Suddenly investing, what kind of nonsense are you talking about?”
“Calm down and listen to me. It’s not just an investment, it’s a large-scale plant project.”
The conglomerates gathered here are Ohsung Group, Daehyeon Group, GT Group, and SG Group.
All of them were companies with overseas plant construction experience.
As much as trillions of money come and go when it comes to overseas plants, chaebol heads also quietly listened.
“This oil plant project is a very large project with a total contract amount of 7 billion dollars.”
Chairman Lee Tae-seok gasped in surprise at the sound of 7 billion dollars. This is because the existing plant business was worth $500 million at most, and $1 billion at most.
However, the expectations that had soared in the following words cooled down.
“The place is the Lagunillas region of Venezuela.”
As soon as the name Venezuela comes up, refutations pour in.
“wait for a sec. Venezuela is in default, so you can’t afford to pay it?”
“There, the business itself related to crude oil is owned by the state.”
“It is difficult to enter because of US sanctions.”
Despite the negative opinions pouring from the mouths of the generals, he does not blink an eye and expresses his opinion.
“WHTS Company is the only foreign company that has priority in Venezuela’s oil extraction business. And the issue of sanctions is already being discussed.”
Even after an explanation was given, the reaction of the commanders was still sluggish. Venezuela-related projects were judged to be too risky.
Then someone raises their hand.
Jeon Yong-taek, vice chairman of Ohsung Group.
“Oseong will participate.”
Chairman Lee Tae-seok, who was sitting next to him, opened his eyes wide and looked back at him.
“Is it because you don’t know what Venezuela is like?”
“I know.”
“Anyone who knows that… … .”
He stood up before Lee Tae-seok finished speaking.
“If other people are not willing to participate, Ohseong will proceed alone.”
“Jeon Yong-taek, the scale of the project is too large for that.”
“CEO Shin, this is our Ohsung. A project like this can be done alone.”
The gunmen shake their heads. It was because I thought doing something in Venezuela was downright crazy.
However, Jeon Yong-taek, the only one at this place, had a different idea.
‘Idiots. I don’t even know if this is a golden rope.’