The support of barrios like Petare may be key to overcoming Maduro. But not all residents are sold on his challenger
Nicolás Maduro’s special forces set up camp on Petare’s doorstep just days after efforts to depose him began, daubing the pitch black exterior of their base with their commander-in-chief’s call to arms: “Always loyal, never traitors.”
Alongside, troops painted two white skulls and a second chilling mantra: “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”
Continue reading...President announces 30-day rationing plan and says pro-government colectivos must ‘defend the peace of every block’
Venezuela’s authoritarian leader Nicolás Maduro has called on armed pro-government groups to help subdue unrest as he announced a 30-day electricity rationing plan set to inflict further pain on the population.
In a televised address, Maduro said he had no choice but to take drastic measures while his government rebuilt key sections of Venezuela’s national grid following a succession of crippling power failures since 7 March.
Continue reading...Venezuelan leader claimed in a broadcast the latest outage was caused by mercenaries ‘sent by the coup-mongering right’
Nicolás Maduro has asked Venezuelans to pray for the country’s recovery from another crippling nationwide blackout, in a crackly and foreboding telephone interview that reinforced the mounting sense of crisis.
Related: Venezuela blackout: what caused it and what happens next?
Continue reading...Announcement comes as Juan Guaidó’s wife met with Donald Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence in Washington
The opposition figurehead battling to topple Nicolás Maduro has told supporters to prepare for a final nationwide push against Venezuela’s authoritarian leader after the country suffered its fourth massive blackout in less than three weeks.
Addressing a rally in Caracas, Juan Guaidó said it was time for Venezuelans of all social classes to increase pressure through what he called Operación Libertad (Operation Freedom) – a mobilization across the country that would culminate in a massive march through the capital.
Continue reading...Officials blamed an attack on a hydroelectric plant for an outage that resulted in businesses having to close, plunged Venezuela's main airport into darkness and left commuters stranded in Caracas. Power went out in much of the capital and nearly a dozen states in the early afternoon. It came after a week-long blackout earlier in March that was the most severe in the country's history
Continue reading...Vice-president blames ‘fascist right’ and its ‘imperial masters’ in Washington for power cuts
Nicolás Maduro’s embattled administration has called for calm after millions of Venezuelans were again plunged into darkness by a nationwide blackout reportedly affecting 21 of its 23 states and the capital, Caracas.
In a late-night television broadcast – which most people were unable to watch because of the outage – the communications minister, Jorge Rodríguez, claimed it was the result of a “brutal” attack on a hydroelectric plant on Monday night.
Continue reading...Fourteen of country’s 23 states affected just weeks after the country’s worst power failure in history
Venezuela has been hit by another major power cut, with more than half of the country reportedly affected by the latest blackout.
The El Nacional newspaper reported that Monday’s power cut had affected 14 of Venezuela’s 23 states as well as the capital, Caracas. The broadcaster NTN24 said 16 states were affected.
Continue reading...Embattled president hints that Juan Guaidó and allies are in his sights
Venezuela’s opposition is bracing for a severe political crackdown after Nicolás Maduro lashed out at the “diabolical pro-imperialist puppets” he claimed were trying to remove him from the presidency and vowed to imprison them all.
The struggle between Maduro and his challenger, Juan Guaidó, escalated dramatically last week with the detention of Guaidó’s right-hand man, Roberto Marrero.
Continue reading...Maduro’s interior minister alleged a cache of ‘weapons of war’ had been apprehended with Roberto Marrero as face-off escalates
The face-off between Nicolás Maduro and his US-backed challenger Juan Guaidó has escalated dramatically after Venezuelan intelligence agents seized Guaidó’s chief of staff and accused him of leading a “terrorist cell” plotting a wave of political assassinations.
Related: Juan Guaidó's chief of staff arrested by Venezuelan agents
Continue reading...Luis Carlos Díaz, who went missing at about 5.30pm Monday, was taken by Sebin, fellow journalists confirmed
A prominent Venezuelan journalist who had been reporting on the country’s escalating political crisis and electricity blackout out has been seized by secret police, sparking international condemnation.
Related: US pulls all staff from Venezuela as Maduro blames blackout on 'demonic' Trump plot
Continue reading...Power outage – that Maduro blames on foreign saboteurs – could have dramatic implications for country’s political future
When night falls on Venezuela’s ghostly capital, an unnerving hush grips the streets of this once-bustling South American metropolis.
“You feel a profound silence all around you,” said Alejandro Guzmán, a 26-year-old lawyer and one of millions of Venezuelans left in the dark after their country was hit by an unprecedented blackout some believe could have dramatic implications for its political future. “It’s like a city of shadows.”
Continue reading...Demonstrations spark fears country’s political crisis could deep following huge blackout
Supporters of Venezuela’s leader, Nicolás Maduro, and his US-backed challenger, Juan Guaidó, returned to the streets again on Saturday amid rising fears the political crisis could be entering a turbulent new phase.
After a strained 48 hours for Venezuela in which almost the entire country was affected by a blackout thousands of demonstrators turned out to champion their respective leaders, both of whom claim the presidency.
Continue reading...Delcy Rodríguez said schools were closed and workers should stay home after ‘technological attack’ on Guri hydroelectric plant
Venezuela’s embattled president, Nicolás Maduro, has been forced to close schools and give workers the day off after a severe and potentially destabilizing blackout dragged into a second day.
On Friday morning, more than 19 hours after power failed across most of the country, Venezuela’s vice-president, Delcy Rodríguez, announced that schools would not open and private- and public-sector workers should stay at home.
Continue reading...At least 18 of 23 states reportedly affected by blackout authorities blamed on anti-government saboteurs
Venezuela has been hit by a vast power cut, with at least 18 of its 23 states reportedly affected by a blackout authorities blamed on anti-government saboteurs.
Commuters in the country’s crumbling capital, Caracas, were forced to walk home from work after the metro service was paralyzed by the outage, while the international airport was reportedly plunged into darkness.
Continue reading...Nicolás Maduro’s administration accuses Daniel Kriener of ‘crass’ and ‘unlawful’ meddling in Venezuelan affairs
Nicolás Maduro’s embattled government has declared the German ambassador persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within 48 hours as Venezuela’s political crisis intensified on Wednesday.
The decision to expel Daniel Kriener – who has been based in Caracas since last year – was announced on Twitter by Venezuela’s foreign minister, Jorge Arreaza.
Continue reading...Washington warned on eve of arrival Maduro faces ‘strong and significant response’ if Guaidó is detained or threatened
The opposition figurehead battling to dislodge Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro has made an audacious and dramatic homecoming, flying into the country’s main airport as he sought to re-energize his campaign for political change.
Juan Guaidó – who secretly left Venezuela last month to conduct a support-seeking tour of South America – landed at the Simón Bolívar international airport on Monday on a commercial flight from Panama.
Continue reading...Venezuelan authorities have blockaded a second bridge to Colombia amid fresh skirmishes between protesters and security forces loyal to embattled leader Nicolás Maduro.
Related: Venezuela: US increasingly isolated as allies warn against use of military force
Continue reading...UN security council officials clash over ‘politicised’ aid to troubled country as peace-building chief warns of ‘grim realities’
Infant mortality in Venezuela has soared by roughly 50% during the prolonged political crisis in the country.
Briefing the UN security council, the UN’s political and peace building chief, Rosemary DiCarlo, depicted a devastating collapse in Venezuela’s health system. She warned that 40% of medical staff had left the country and said hospital stocks of medicine had dwindled to 20% of the required level.
Continue reading...Anchor, who has reportedly been released, asked question embattled leader did not approve of, according to Univision executive
The Univision anchor Jorge Ramos has been detained in the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela, the network announced on Monday evening.
The Mexican-born journalist was interviewing Venezuela’s embattled president Nicolás Maduro when he and his crew were detained after asking a question the combative Maduro did not approve of, according to a tweet by the network’s US president, Daniel Coronell. The team’s equipment had also been confiscated, Coronell said.
Continue reading...Spanish foreign minister says Madrid would not support military action to oust Nicolás Maduro
Spain has warned that it will not back any military intervention in Venezuela after the South American country’s opposition leader, Juan Guaidó, urged other nations to consider “all options” to remove the president, Nicolás Maduro, from power.
Guaidó is due to meet the US vice-president, Mike Pence, in Colombia on Monday amid ongoing speculation that the Trump administration could use force to oust Maduro.
Continue reading...