A MAN is hitting the streets to spread the word about the ongoing troubles in Venezuela.

Javier Rodriguez has transformed his Nissan truck into a political bandwagon.

He has spent £500 on specialist livery for it to highlight the struggles in his home country.

The 44-year-old, who lives in kemp Town, Brighton, said: “Everyone is trying to raise their voices.

“We Venezuelans outside the country, we try to put our bits together to help, to raise our voices, to make people aware of what is going on.

“I’m just trying to put my grain on the fight for freedom.”

Venezuela is in the midst of a national recession and millions of people have left the country.

Many blame Nicolas Maduro, the current president, after the country’s economy collapsed.

Hundreds of thousands of people have taken part in protests all over the South American country.

The protests began over moves by President Maduro’s government to restrict the powers of the opposition-controlled National Assembly.

Many have been killed speaking their mind.

Although he may be a lone voice in Brighton, Mr Rodriguez believes he is spreading the word and making a difference.

“There are a lot of people taking pictures of the van.

“If they see me jumping

in it, they’ll start talking to me about it.

“They want to pass the message and to show that they are also worried.”

Mr Rodriguez is the retail manager on Brighton Palace pier.

He moved to the city in 2000 and as a Venezuelan living outside the country, he feels it is his responsibility to help raise awareness of the situation there.

Mr Rodriguez said: “I’m raising awareness to see if we can get any sort of help from the United Nations, the European community, the United States, all these people that normally get involved in this sort of diplomatic situation.

“The government managed to destroy the economy, to control the people.

“It’s a catastrophe, everyone is dying at the moment, everyone is suffering.”

“How can you live on half a penny, when a chicken costs you half a penny.

“Now how can you live like that? How can you support a family like that?

“It’s unacceptable what is happening in Venezuela, in our country.

“The amount of people that are leaving the country is incredible, they are walking through the frontiers to leave.

“In Brazil there is a refugee camp because of the amount of people leaving daily.”

Javier is determined to keep raising awareness with his van.

He said: “I love my country.

“I would love to have a country that is like the country I am living in now.

“I know that we are amazing people and I know that we can have an amazing country like the one I am in here in the UK, in England.”

And he’s determined to keep up the fight even though he is living almost 5,000 miles away, no matter how long it will take him.

He said: “I’ll do it until we succeed, until we get our freedom back.”