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Catherina

(35,568 posts)
Tue Apr 16, 2013, 03:43 PM Apr 2013

Protests, Disturbances, and Violence Continue in Venezuela, General Strike a “Failure”

Protests, Disturbances, and Violence Continue in Venezuela, General Strike a “Failure”

By Tamara Pearson

Merida, April 16th 2013 (Venezuelanalysis.com) – This afternoon president Maduro said the opposition’s call for a general strike today had “failed”. He also blamed the losing candidate in Sunday’s elections, Henrique Capriles, for the seven deaths last night.

Maduro said last night’s violence was part of a plan “to take Venezuela off the road of democracy”, and called on the people to be peaceful and not “fall for provocations”.

He also declared “the coup d’état defeated”, and inaugurated a health centre in Miranda state. However he said it seemed the “destabilisations will continue”. Though there has been no direct attempt to overthrow the government, some government authorities have referred to the opposition’s refusal to recognise the election results as a “coup” or part of an attempt to bring about a coup.

President of the National Electoral Council (CNE) Tibisay Lucena said yesterday that the electoral system functioned “perfectly” on Sunday. She urged Henrique Capriles, who has not recognised the results, to use legal methods to present his complaints. 54% of the votes were audited on Sunday in the presence of booth witnesses from both political parties, and no problems were found, but opposition protestors are demanding that 100% of the votes be recounted.

Telesur reports that according to CNE norms, the opposition have “twenty (working) days to contest the results, they can do it through the Supreme Court, or the CNE, but they should formalise it, and not do it through the media”.

“Majority is majority, and should be respected under a democracy, they shouldn’t seek ambushes and invent things in order to make popular sovereignty vulnerable... that has just one name, “coup-ism” (golpismo),” Maduro said yesterday.

Monday’s aggressions

Last night seven people were killed as a result of opposition violence; two in Caracas, three in Ojeda, Zulia, one in Cumana, and one person in San Cristobal.

The opposition set fire to 18 Central Diagnostic Centres (CDIs – part of the Barrio Adentro mission), and 3 subsidised markets (Mercals). They also attacked the director of the CNE, Tibisay Lucena’s house, and the Telesur and VTV offices.


There are also unconfirmed reports of four attacks on housing mission buildings in Miranda, with seven people killed and ten injured.

The governor of Carabobo state, Francisco Ameliach, reported that 8 CDIs were “besieged” and Cuban doctors were attacked in his state. He said 64 people were detained inside the CDI, and “should go to jail, because we’re not going to tolerate a coup d’état here”.

In Merida, around 700 mostly young opposition students protested outside the CNE, as well as in four other places in the city. Venezuelanalysis.com observed that police presence was light, and most police unarmed. Many of the students armed themselves with rocks and glass bottles however, as though hoping something would happen. There were similar such protests outside most of the country’s main CNE headquarters.

Many people have posted photos around social networks, claiming they are of the CNE disposing of Sunday’s ballot boxes, though they are in fact of the CNE disposing of 2010 voting boxes, as the law requires. Media like La Patilla and RCTV have also used the photos. Pundit Nelson Bocaranda also tweeted that the “CDI in La Paz, Gallo Verde, Maracaibo is hiding some electoral boxes and the Cubans there won’t allow them to be removed”. Opposition television station Globovision has been arguing that “if they don’t want to count the votes, they must have something to hide”.

Capriles called for marches around the country to each state’s head CNE office for today, and for a large march lead by him tomorrow to the headquarters of the CNE in Caracas.

President of the National Assembly, Diosdado Cabello, reported by Twitter that he will propose an investigation to the assembly against Capriles for the acts of violence. Luisa Ortega said the public prosecutor’s office will investigate the seven confirmed deaths.

Further, the suspension of the right to carry arms in place during the election, as is the custom, has been extended to this Saturday 6.00pm, following last night’s violence.

State, municipal, and national police are also confined to barracks until Saturday. Police need permission from the National Bolivarian Armed Forces strategic operational command to intervene or act on any of the violence taking place.

Published on Apr 16th 2013 at 2.20pm

This work is licensed under a Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives Creative Commons license

http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/8652

29 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Protests, Disturbances, and Violence Continue in Venezuela, General Strike a “Failure” (Original Post) Catherina Apr 2013 OP
They are undoubtedly keeping a close watch on National Guard armories, I would think. Judi Lynn Apr 2013 #1
I hope so too. Burning the CDI health centers on their 10th anniversary? Catherina Apr 2013 #3
She forgot to mention that Maduro also banned a planned protest rally tomorrow. nt naaman fletcher Apr 2013 #2
Good thing Catherina Apr 2013 #4
Huh? naaman fletcher Apr 2013 #6
You may need to check your facts. It was Capriles who had the sudden intelligence to cancel it Catherina Apr 2013 #8
I saw differently, naaman fletcher Apr 2013 #12
I just came to tell you, and saw this, that you're correct Catherina Apr 2013 #13
Thanks for the info. Nt naaman fletcher Apr 2013 #14
What does he mean exactly by "economic" warfare? Marksman_91 Apr 2013 #15
Simple answer that better people than me can expound on Catherina Apr 2013 #16
And yet he has said time and time again that he rejects any acts of violence by protesters. Marksman_91 Apr 2013 #11
"Peacefully protest." joshcryer Apr 2013 #22
Capriles called off today's protest. joshcryer Apr 2013 #23
Predictable. Arctic Dave Apr 2013 #5
And yet some, even here, act *so* surprised, so indignant Catherina Apr 2013 #10
+1 Daniel537 Apr 2013 #27
Thanks for all your posts today. nt PETRUS Apr 2013 #7
Thank you for reading them Catherina Apr 2013 #9
Can I second that? Starry Messenger Apr 2013 #17
I love you Catherina Apr 2013 #19
Love you too! Starry Messenger Apr 2013 #21
Venezuela's Maduro accuses US Embassy of supporting violent protests dipsydoodle Apr 2013 #18
"When in doubt, blame America!" Marksman_91 Apr 2013 #20
Blind, empty-headed, a-historical, one-sentence, hit-piece comments are NOT... Peace Patriot Apr 2013 #24
You said it so well. Perfect. n/t Judi Lynn Apr 2013 #25
So, you're saying the CNE should dismiss all fraud allegations. joshcryer Apr 2013 #26
Huh? Where did I say that? Peace Patriot Apr 2013 #28
"no value" "big lie" joshcryer Apr 2013 #29

Judi Lynn

(160,218 posts)
1. They are undoubtedly keeping a close watch on National Guard armories, I would think.
Tue Apr 16, 2013, 03:53 PM
Apr 2013

Remember the group of over 1000 paramilitaries the oligarchs brought in from Colombia several years ago testified, after being arrested, that they had been given the orders to attack a National Guard armory and steal 2,000 rifles and ammunition, etc. preparatory to their assault on Miraflores to assassinate Hugo Chavez.

We didn't learn about it through the US corporate media, of course, but thousands of Venezuela marched in the street to protest this interrupted assassination attempt on their president.

We notice all their targets are valuable to the Venezuelan people themselves. I hope somehow they are brought to justice and made to pay for this. They have a good swift kick coming to them.

Catherina

(35,568 posts)
3. I hope so too. Burning the CDI health centers on their 10th anniversary?
Tue Apr 16, 2013, 03:58 PM
Apr 2013

Figure the odds. It's a calculated insult to the people, to the medical community and to the government that prefers to invest in people rather than rich people's bank accounts.

Catherina

(35,568 posts)
4. Good thing
Tue Apr 16, 2013, 04:38 PM
Apr 2013

Yet you neglect to mention that they're still allowed to peacefully protest. Capriles' supporters are protesting right now especially in Merida, Barinas and Maracay. Tomorrow wasn't just a simple protest rally, it was more insurrection to whip up hatred and destabilize.

Everyone knows the script. Maduro would have to be a fool to play along with it. Nope, it's not going to be so easy for Otto Reich crowd.

 

naaman fletcher

(7,362 posts)
6. Huh?
Tue Apr 16, 2013, 05:08 PM
Apr 2013

Tomorrow is the big protest in Central Caracas. Or, it was. Maduro cancelled it and said he won't allow it. Hopefully they will do it anyway, as I say to all people who want to protest against the wishes of any government.

Catherina

(35,568 posts)
8. You may need to check your facts. It was Capriles who had the sudden intelligence to cancel it
Tue Apr 16, 2013, 05:56 PM
Apr 2013

Last edited Tue Apr 16, 2013, 07:37 PM - Edit history (1)

according to the information I've seen.

Capriles pidió a sus seguidores recogerse en sus casas y seguir los cacerolazos nocturnos

El excandidato presidencial Henrique Capriles, llamó este martes a sus seguidores a "recogerse" y no marchar mañana miércoles como había llamado, para evitar situaciones de violencia.

...

http://www.panorama.com.ve/portal/app/push/noticia62619.php



Capriles called on his followers to return to their homes following resume the nightly cacerolazos.

The former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles, on Tuesday called on his followers to "restrain themselves" and not go to the rally he had called for Wednesday in order to avoid situations of violence.



On edit, also in English on the BBC:


Venezuela opposition leader Capriles calls off rally

Venezuela's opposition leader Henrique Capriles has called off a rally to demand a recount of Sunday's disputed presidential election.


...

"We are ready to open a dialogue with the government so that the crisis can be ended in the coming hours," he said later, calling off the rally. He claimed that Mr Maduro's supporters were planning to infiltrate the march.

...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-22176532

 

naaman fletcher

(7,362 posts)
12. I saw differently,
Tue Apr 16, 2013, 06:08 PM
Apr 2013

It's possible both are true i.e. Maduro says I am allowing it and and so Capriles says "don't go". I'll look for more info.

Catherina

(35,568 posts)
13. I just came to tell you, and saw this, that you're correct
Tue Apr 16, 2013, 09:25 PM
Apr 2013
Venezuela's opposition leader, Henrique Capriles, has called off the march he planned to lead to the headquarters of the National Electorate Council to demand a total recount of Sunday's electoral vote which gave Nicolás Maduro, Hugo Chávez's hand-picked successor, a razor-thin margin.

The announcement came after President Maduro banned the opposition march from entering Caracas. He denounced the two-day anti-government street protests as part of a US-led coup attempt reminiscent of the April 2002 coup that saw Chávez ousted from power for two days.

"That march will not enter Caracas. It is my responsibility as president not to allow this march – I am defending them from themselves," Maduro said from the headquarters of the state-run oil company PDVSA. "While we conducted a campaign within the principles established by our constitution, they [the opposition] waged an electric warfare, an economic warfare."
...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/17/venezuela-opposition-protest-maduro-victory


I was w... w... wr.... wrong lol.

...

Catherina

(35,568 posts)
16. Simple answer that better people than me can expound on
Tue Apr 16, 2013, 10:15 PM
Apr 2013


Actions taken to destabilize the economy and also corporations hoarding food supplies to drive the price up or, especially in Venezuela's cause, to create anger against the government/

When private firms cheat customers with unjustified price rises that drive 30% inflation and drive food up even more at 40%, it's considered to be economic warfare, in the US it's mainly attributable to greed, in Venezuela's case it's mostly to *prove* that socialism can't work.

Since the distribution of food is still mainly in the hands of big supermarkets and food monopolies, often owned by multinationals, this is very easy to do.
 

Marksman_91

(2,035 posts)
11. And yet he has said time and time again that he rejects any acts of violence by protesters.
Tue Apr 16, 2013, 06:01 PM
Apr 2013

So, tell me, how is he fascist again?

 

Arctic Dave

(13,812 posts)
5. Predictable.
Tue Apr 16, 2013, 04:38 PM
Apr 2013

Just like I said.

The fascist are never one to disappoint with their hatred of Democracy.

Catherina

(35,568 posts)
10. And yet some, even here, act *so* surprised, so indignant
Tue Apr 16, 2013, 05:58 PM
Apr 2013

that anyone could even dare suggest x,y,z. Go figure

 

Daniel537

(1,560 posts)
27. +1
Wed Apr 17, 2013, 09:05 AM
Apr 2013

Capriles saw he lost control of this thing, so he's starting to back off. And i would not automatically dismiss allegations of US involvement in trying to destabilize Venezuela, we've done it before and we'll do it again, sadly. This country just can't mind its own business.

dipsydoodle

(42,239 posts)
18. Venezuela's Maduro accuses US Embassy of supporting violent protests
Tue Apr 16, 2013, 10:40 PM
Apr 2013

Venezuela's post-election crisis is growing deeper, with seven people killed during clashes between the opposition and police. President-elect Nicolas Maduro has assured Venezuelans that he has proof that the US embassy is financing the ongoing protests.

The deaths occurred on Monday, when hundreds of protesters took to the streets in various parts of Caracas and other cities. The demonstrators blocked streets, burned tires, and fought with security forces.

The fatalities include two people shot by opposition sympathizers while celebrating Maduro's victory, state media reported. One person died in an attack on a government-run clinic in a central state. Two others, including a policeman, were killed in an Andean border state, officials told Reuters.

"The most serious thing is that in these violent actions, seven Venezuelans died," said Attorney General Luisa Ortega. She added that 135 people have been arrested in suspected connection with the violence.

http://rt.com/news/venezuela-maduro-coup-killed-963/

 

Marksman_91

(2,035 posts)
20. "When in doubt, blame America!"
Tue Apr 16, 2013, 11:29 PM
Apr 2013

That seems like a popular thing to do nowadays in anti-democratic regimes.

Peace Patriot

(24,010 posts)
24. Blind, empty-headed, a-historical, one-sentence, hit-piece comments are NOT...
Wed Apr 17, 2013, 03:02 AM
Apr 2013

...needed here, and have no value except to illustrate just how the CIA and those whom they serve operate in the world, using rightwing trumpets to spread disinformation, and to make people stupid, powerless, uninformed and uncaring--all the better to foist 'TRADE SECRET' voting machines off on them, and bankster bailouts, and wars.

Latin Americans, these days, are into REALITY, and know the truth about U.S. domination and interference--often horrific interference--in their DEMOCRACIES. They are not taking it any more, nor should we, here in the U.S., who value truth, who know what's real and what isn't, and who cherish and advocate and live democracy.

Your deliberately vague "hit piece" words--"anti-democratic regimes," "popular thing"--have no real meaning, but seek to implant an IMPRESSION based on decades of "Big Lie" propaganda that OUR government is democratic, and desires OTHER countries to be democratic. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The "Big Lie" goes on to say that anybody who doesn't like Corporate Rule, corporate monopoly of the public airwaves, corporations writing their laws and buying their politicians, corporations plundering their resources, corporate resource wars, corporate banksterism, USAID funding of rightwing causes and candidates, the U.S. military, DIA, CIA, DEA, FBI, AFT, et al, controlling their militaries, police forces, courts, laws, political leaders and entire governments, is anti-democratic. The opposite is true. Those who hate these things ARE the democrats in Latin America.

The people of Latin America are making a so far highly successful bid for INDEPENDENCE, SOVEREIGNTY and REAL DEMOCRACY. They are the democrats, and our rulers are the anti-democrats, here and abroad.

Our rulers' mouthing of democracy pablum is just that--gruel for innocent babes. It could not be more hypocritical. We need to grow up, like Latin Americans have done, restore our independence from transglobal corporations and "military-industrial complex" war profiteers, re-assert our sovereignty as a people and re-establish real democracy HERE.

As part of our growing up, we need to understand what our rulers have done to Latin American countries over the last half century, and over the last decade, and are still doing, now, today. Our government is NOTORIOUS in that region for coup plotting, for overthrowing democracies, for destabilization tactics, for supporting militarism and fascism, for arming and training and funding torturers and murderers, and for looting entire countries and trying to destroy every advance that Latin Americans have made in economic fairness, poverty reduction, health care, educational opportunity, public services and all the elements of a decent society. Our rulers are PROFITEERS. They see Latin America is THEIR 'back yard.' The last thing in the world they want to see happen there is democracy, and that is what IS happening, at long last.

In Venezuela.
In Brazil.
In Bolivia.
In Ecuador.
In Argentina.
In Uruguay.
In Nicaragua.
In El Salvador.
In Peru.
In Chile (leftist democrat will be elected there, this year).
In Honduras (before the U.S.-supported fascist coup).

Our rulers are terrified of this leftist democracy revolution moving north. That is one reason why they lie about it so much. "When in doubt, blame America" is the kind of lie they love. Short, pithy, like a bullet to the head, stopping thought. Gee, why would "blaming America" be "popular" in Latin America? Can't imagine why.

Peace Patriot

(24,010 posts)
28. Huh? Where did I say that?
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 05:02 AM
Apr 2013

On the contrary, I think that pile of crapola that Capriles came up with ought to be quite closely investigated--and every one of his distortions and lies exposed. Some of them are hilarious. He was not well-briefed.

In fact, most of it has already been debunked. But, yeah, he has a right to file his objections to the CNE and they have a right and a duty to judge whether or not there were sufficient irregularities reported to warrant withholding their determination of the winner. They made that judgement. That's their job--and all the election monitoring groups agreed--no serious irregularities, fair and honest election. And all of Latin America agreed--Maduro won. Even the OAS backed down on this "100% recount" mantra out of Washington.

Venezuela does a whopping 55% audit right on election day, just after the polls close. That is more than five times the audit needed to detect fraud in an electronic system. There was no evidence of fraud in that system, and no other irregularities sufficient to warrant withholding the result.

If there were any irregularities, they of course should be investigated and if crimes were committed, prosecution pursued--or lesser remedies taken, depending on what happened. That is quite different from calling an entire election into question just because it was close. Remember when Chavez lost the 69 amendments vote? That was even more of a squeaker and Chavez just said, Okay, the people have spoken. He did NOT do what Capriles has done, which led to all this violence--calling the election system itself into question, which Jimmy Carter recently said is "the best election system in the world."

What Capriles has done has resulted it deaths, and in defamation of Venezuela's democracy, and in thugs running around burning down health clinics and poor people's homes. I'm sorry but THAT is the crime--and minor election irregularities pale before that crime.

Let's have fairness all around--close scrutiny of every one of Capriles' complaints, and equal scrutiny of the murders and the burnings.

joshcryer

(62,265 posts)
29. "no value" "big lie"
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 05:51 AM
Apr 2013

They're getting the audit. I guess the Venezuelan government didn't consider it of "no value."

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