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All Songs Considered

Alt.Latino: Music as protest in Venezuela

All Songs Considered

NPR

Music

4.43.2K Ratings

🗓️ 8 January 2026

⏱️ 27 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Venezuela has a deep tradition of reflecting political change through music. This week, as the country reels from the seizure of its president by American forces, we explore the recent history of Venezuelan protest music, and from the Nineties right up until the present. First, we share an excerpt of an episode we made at another moment of political turmoil in Venezuela, in the summer of 2024. Then, we'll walk up to the present and see how some musicians across Latin America are responding to this moment. And a big thanks to NPR Music's Isabella Gomez Sarmiento for being our guide.

(00:00) Intro
(02:06) A history of Venezuelan protest music
(13:39) Social and economic changes under Nicolas Maduro
(14:53) Venezuelan protest music in recent years
(22:21) How artists across Latin America are responding

This podcast was produced by Noah Caldwell. The executive producer of NPR Music is Suraya Mohamed.

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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Support for NPR comes from NPR member stations and Eric and Wendy Schmidt through the Schmidt Family Foundation, working toward a healthy, resilient, secure world for all.

0:11.5

On the web at theshmit.org.

0:14.7

A quick note before the show, this podcast contains explicit language.

0:22.1

From NPR music, this is Alt Latino.

0:24.1

I'm Felix Contreras.

0:25.4

And I'm Anna Maria Sayer.

0:27.0

And Anna, this week we have to talk about Venezuela.

0:30.0

Last weekend, the United States launched a military attack on Venezuela.

0:34.1

U.S. troops seized President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Celia Flores.

0:38.7

Then the couple was transported to New York to face four charges, including narco-terrorism.

0:44.0

Many in the U.S. have blasted the attack, which was made without congressional authorization as a

0:49.0

violation of the Constitution and international law. And yet, among many of the millions of Venezuelans who have left the country and those that

0:56.6

stayed behind, there was support, if not celebration, for the removal of what many call

1:01.6

a brutal dictator.

1:03.3

These conflicting sentiments represent the complex reality that is daily life in the country.

1:08.3

So, Felix, back in 2024, we actually produced an episode during another turbulent moment in Venezuela's history.

1:16.1

In July of that year, Maduro stole the presidential election from the opposition candidate who won a majority of the votes.

1:22.8

Mass demonstrations and protests were held in the aftermath of the election.

1:27.5

At the time, we wanted to look at the role that music had played in what was happening,

1:31.6

the way that music reflected the social and political situation in the country.

1:36.4

So today we're going to do a few things.

1:39.2

First, we're going to share an excerpt of that episode with all of you,

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