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

From NPR music, this is Alt Latino.

I'm Felix Contreras.

And I'm Anna Maria Sayer.

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

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

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

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

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

violation of the Constitution and international law. And yet, among many of the millions of Venezuelans who have left the country and those that stayed behind, there was support, if not celebration, for the removal of what many call a brutal dictator.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

because we feel it might help us understand

the backdrop to this moment. And then we're going to walk it up to the present. We'll talk about

...