Venezuelan activists in Australia have launched calling for the daughter of a key political heavyweight in the Latin American nation to be deported.
Lucia Rodriguez has been studying film in Sydney’s SAE Institute but has been criticised for leading a lavish lifestyle in Australia amid human rights concerns back in her homeland.
She is the daughter of the mayor of Caracas, Jorge Rodriguez, a key player in the government of former president Hugo Chavez.
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Venezuela is struggling under dire economic conditions. Violent protests have engulfed the nation with demonstrators demanding the removal of President Nicolas Maduro.
On social media accounts since removed, Ms Rodriguez is pictured cuddling kangaroos and surfing.
In one picture she sports a shirt reading: “Capitalist patriarchy is ruining the world and all I got was this lousy T-shirt”.
“Australia, as one of the best countries in the world and as [an] example of democracy and transparency, should not be a paradise for corrupt anti-democrat politicians or their families,” the petition reads.
“Ironically, she critiques capitalist countries but enjoys her life in Australia while using her family's stolen and blood money.”
A video of Ms Rodriguez being confronted in Bondi Beach has been published on social media.
In the clip she walks beside a bodyguard while a woman demands answers about the unrest at home.
“It's very nice to live in Bondi while the students are being killed,” the woman shouts at Ms Rodriguez.
Watch: A woman shouts at Lucia Rodriguez in Bondi
“Because of your father's fault there are people dying…. And that's going to stay in your conscience.”
Those backing the petition question how Ms Rodriguez funds her lifestyle in Australia.
"In Venezuela people are starving, there is no food there [are] no medicines so it's unacceptable we let these people live here in Australia that way,” community activist Pablo told SBS World News.
“Why don’t they allow normal citizens to leave the country to get access to medicines but they can.”
Some of her critics are worried that simply speaking out could have repercussions for their families in Venezuela.
However, a spokesman for the Venezuelan embassy said Ms Rodriguez’s treatment and harassment was unfair.
“In the last weeks, there has been an international campaign [on social networks] targeting Venezuelan Government-sympathetic people abroad,” Daniel Gasparri-Rey told SBS News.
“These campaigns [are] based on the idea of harassing and threatening anyone sympathetic to our Venezuelan democratically-elected Government.
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“A campaign full of hatred and intolerance as shown on social networks.”
The campaign may have prompted the Venezulan government to speak to Australian authorities to intervene.
Venezuelan MP Braulio Alvarez, who belongs to the PSUV (Socialist Party of Venezuela) told SBS Spanish Radio the Venezuelan Parliament would create a commission to investigate the Venezuelans living overseas who are making videos and demonstrating against Venezuelans who are related to the government.
He said there was “no doubt” they would call on the Australian government about it.
“And we’ll go to any international body if necessary, to secure the respect guaranteed by law,” Mr Alvarez said.
