People & Blogs
“You cannot have democracy if people are not free.” – Leopoldo López #TEDTalks
In 2014, Leopoldo López — former mayor of Chacao in Caracas, Venezuela — was arrested for peacefully protesting the election of Nicolás Maduro. In this rousing TED Talk, López reflects on how the seven years of imprisonment and solitary confinement that followed sharpened his views on freedom and authoritarianism.
@starwars99ok
January 9, 2026 at 5:02 pm
So Venezuela is better now?
@flyingtroughthedeep
January 9, 2026 at 5:09 pm
No
@fopdoodler9427
January 9, 2026 at 5:10 pm
@flyingtroughthedeep You do understand that the man who got arrested is a dictator?
@thegodfather193
January 9, 2026 at 5:48 pm
@fopdoodler9427i think america is the only dictator that act on any foreign soil without consequences.
@fopdoodler9427
January 9, 2026 at 6:11 pm
@thegodfather193 I’m not American, but Trump is not a dictator. He has been elected democratically and is expected to be removed from office either at the next elections or if he gets impeached.
@jjjfo1818
January 9, 2026 at 6:40 pm
@fopdoodler9427oh you sweet sweet innocent child
@VrSocaCaveman
January 9, 2026 at 5:09 pm
Yes
@FCalembela
January 9, 2026 at 5:10 pm
Indeed
@evaadam3635
January 9, 2026 at 5:35 pm
Democracy is freedom to buy votes and to sell your vote that leads to TYRANNY….
@jackylech6209
January 9, 2026 at 6:57 pm
Beautiful man beautiful talk
@art.alagna.design
January 9, 2026 at 8:03 pm
Democracy doesn’t exist anyway…
…freedom is discipline. Without discipline there’s no freedom
@thierryvankerm8474
January 10, 2026 at 2:17 am
TED is really becoming the loudspeaker of a tyran. What a shame…
@thierryvankerm8474
January 10, 2026 at 2:18 am
Do you think you’re in a democracy in the US? He sounds like explaining what ICE does
@taswibislam524
January 12, 2026 at 10:23 am
Exactly! TED isn’t what it was at first
@MiguelLara-gj4hi
January 10, 2026 at 3:28 am
Leopoldo López is one of the worst collaborationist pieces of trash to ever exist in Venezuela. He has been an accomplice, a traitor, and a FAKE opposition leader. In Venezuela, NOBODY likes him.
@sethstewart2793
January 11, 2026 at 1:37 pm
Nobody, strong language there.
@olohialli9289
January 10, 2026 at 4:22 am
Ted doing the utmost
@konichiwa_noruto
January 10, 2026 at 8:32 am
Wonderful Make this man the next president of Venezuela……..
@Koonohi
January 10, 2026 at 12:22 pm
Some argue that people in the U.S. are not as free as one might imagine; bound as they are by the invisible chains of capitalism… “St. Peter don’t you call me bcuz I can’t go! I owe my soul to the company store.”
@alexandramuradas4619
January 10, 2026 at 4:01 pm
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
@Gr0wStr0ngAlways
January 10, 2026 at 4:57 pm
Every democracy turns into Epstein’s island oligarchy 🤔
@НикитаФадеев-ф3ь
January 11, 2026 at 10:19 am
The purpose of democracy is not to create some perfect state, but actually to elevate people’s consciousness, then you will see that people always know better what is right for their country, because the purpose of democracy is to allow people to directly influence their government and then see the result. And whether that result is called good or bad, right or wrong, just the fact that people are making a decision and seeing the consequences is going to elevate consciousness.
@sykessaul123
January 12, 2026 at 8:09 am
The US is the opposite of an elevated consciousness right now. Half of them can’t even read better than a 12 year old child.
@НикитаФадеев-ф3ь
January 12, 2026 at 8:44 am
You’re faced with the following question: “Can a five-year-old really choose what education they want to receive? Can they choose what they want to study? Do they have the experience and knowledge to do so?”
You must give children a foundation. Therefore, you could say you could create a basic education, the minimum education children need to learn. This could include reading, writing, basic mathematics, a basic understanding of society, but it should also include, and will include, psychology, so that children learn to work on their psychology.Because there will come a realization that the primary function of the education system is not to fill a child’s mind with knowledge, but to help the child resolve their psychology and set them on a constructive path for the rest of their lives.
@user-yz4hv1oj4d
January 11, 2026 at 11:07 pm
Literally
@ctakahashi01
January 12, 2026 at 12:47 am
Also from Brazilians, little by little
@guichiridelguin
January 12, 2026 at 8:50 am
Ladronazo