While the blackout left Venezuela in darkness, Communications Minister Freddy Ñáñez assured that the state channel VTV that “an electrical sabotage occurred in Venezuela, a sabotage against the national electrical system, which has affected almost the entire national territory. All 24 states are reporting total or partial loss of power supply“.
The streets of Caracas were deserted when the power outage occurred early in the morning, the police said. AFP.
“It is a new electrical sabotage,” the minister insisted. Ñáñez recalled that blackouts were experienced in Venezuela in 2019 and admitted that It has been difficult to recover the national electrical system since then. He also said that they are confronting him with “anti-coup” protocols.
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At the time, the government blamed the failure on the governments of the United States and Colombia, led by Donald Trump and Iván Duque, respectively.
“Because that is what has happened in Venezuela since before July 28, during July 28 and these past 30 days,” he added.
It refers to the presidential elections in which Nicolás Maduro was declared the winner for a third six-year termwhich the opposition led by María Corina Machado described as fraudulent and claims to have evidence showing that its candidate Edmundo González Urrutia was the winner of the contest.
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In a video that Ñáñez shared on Telegram He commented that the “extreme right” (as they refer to the opposition coalition) is carrying out a desperate measure that aims to steal peace of Venezuelans.
Ñáñez said that the blackout is part of the ““coup plan” that the leader of the coalition has assumed Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), Edmundo González Urrutia, and María Corina Machado, whose political disqualification the minister hopes will remain in place for “the rest of the days.”
Also in a message in TelegramNicolás Maduro assured that he is with the people and is at the forefront of the situation. “I have said it and I repeat it: “Calm and sanity, nerves of steel!“, said the Venezuelan president.
Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said on state television that “The Venezuelan network is already starting to be energized” and that “some sectors” of Caracas are beginning to have supplies.
Read also: Venezuelans protest in the streets of Guatemala and several countries against Maduro’s “fraud”
Los Blackouts have been frequent in Venezuela for a decadeThe worst of these occurred in March 2019 and lasted for at least five days, leaving the country in darkness. However, regions in western Venezuela such as Táchira and Zulia, once the oil capital, are experiencing daily power outages.
The government usually attributes these failures to the United States and the opposition in order to overthrow President Maduro. For their part, opposition leaders and specialists, contrary to the theory of sabotage, blame the government. due to lack of investment, incompetence and corruption.
Quote to Edmundo González Urrutia
Opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, 75, was summoned to appear at the prosecutor’s office on August 30, as he was opened a criminal investigation against him.
This is the third call from the prosecution, his failure would lead to the issuance of an arrest warrantIt is unclear how the process stands amid the nationwide blackout.
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The citation is carried out by usurpation of functions and forgery of public document of the National Electoral Council (CNE), which did not publish the details of the counting of votes table by table as required by law. These crimes carry in theory a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.
González did not comment, although he previously called the attorney general, Tarek William Saab, a “political accuser” who would subject him to a process “without guarantees of independence and due process.”
The opposition Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD) denounced a “political persecution” and denied that the publication of the minutes on the web was the responsibility of González Urrutia. “In any case, it does not represent a crime.” Legal experts have described the procedure as irregular.
Maduro has asked for González and Machado to be imprisoned. He also holds them responsible for acts of violence in post-election protestswhich left 27 dead, including two soldiers, almost 200 wounded and more than 2,400 detained, a hundred of them minors, although 16 teenagers were released and paroled on Thursday.
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