Meet Julia & Tatiana

Born in 1927 as the daughter of a Venezuelan pro-democracy printing press owner, Julia* grew up in a household where democracy was valued and discussed often. In October 1945, she became an aide to President Romula Betancourt and later became the first woman to work in the Ministry of Interior Relations.

In 1962, Julia’s brother, a noted economist, became the director of the national bank. In 2003, then-dictator Hugo Chavez demanded one billion dollars from the national bank, to which Julia’s brother refused publicly. This refusal marked Julia’s family as dissenters of the Chavez regime.

Until 2003, Julia lived in relative peace. She took care of her granddaughter, Tatiana*, who became an attorney and spoke out against the Chavez and then Maduro dictatorships. Because of Tatiana’s activism, Tatiana’s property was pillaged and her life threatened, especially after she worked to uncover the names of the Chavistas who killed their beloved neighbor in the street as a message to those speaking out against the regime. But she did not stop advocating for democracy in Venezuela.

In April 2017, the Maduro regime instigated an internal coup, resulting in the dissolution of the National Assembly. Tatiana worked to organize protests and provided legal aid to those detained during the coup. As a result, one night she was directed at gunpoint down an alley. Her aggressor said, “I am not going to rob you, Little Lawyer. This is a warning.” He put away his gun, drew a knife, and slashed Tatiana’s cheek, saying “...You will remember me. You are now marked as a Squalid [member of the opposition.]” 

Tatiana fled to Caracas, then to the United States, fearing for her life. Julia remained in Venezuela until Chavistas threatened to burn the house, torture Julia, and poison the water. In 2019, with deteriorating health, Julia and her son (Tatiana’s father), fled to the United States for safety.

While Julia and Tatiana mourn the situation in Venezuela despite all that their family did to shape a pro-democratic society, they are relieved to have found safety in the United States. RILA is honored to represent Julia and Tatiana and walk beside them as they rebuild their lives.

*Names changed for safety