Page 12 - aruba-today-20190502

A12 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 2 May 2019
Venezuelans take to streets as uprising attempt sputters

By SCOTT SMITH is firm.
CHRISTOPHER TORCHIA "We are fighting for our
Associated Press freedom," the 50-year-old
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) fisherman said.
— Venezuelans heeded While Maduro maintains
opposition leader Juan a devout core of fervent
Guaidó's call to fill streets supporters first inspired by
around the nation Wednes- Chavez, attendance at
day but security forces such shows of support is
showed no sign of back- viewed as a requirement of
ing his cry for a widespread their jobs.
military uprising, instead At the Plaza Francia in Ca-
dispersing crowds with tear racas' Altamira neighbor-
gas as the political crisis hood, protesters jammed
threatened to deepen. the streets in one of the
Thousands cheered Guaidó opposition's biggest dem-
in Caracas as he rolled up onstrations yet. But a few
his sleeves and called on blocks away the scene
Venezuelans to remain out quickly turned ugly. Pro-
in force and prepare for a testers surrounded a sus-
general strike, a day after Opposition leader Juan Guaidó flashes a thumbs up at supporters during a rally in Caracas, Ven- pected thief, beating him
his bold attempt to spark ezuela, Wednesday, May 1, 2019. until he bled. A man with a
a mass military defection Associated Press megaphone appealed to
by forces loyal to President the crowd to return to the
Nicolas Maduro failed to tilt re-energized a flagging tirely surprised by the mili- orders released him from fight against police.
the balance of power. opposition movement by tary's response to Guaidó. house arrest. "The fight is down there!" he
"It's totally clear now the declaring himself interim She blamed the late Hugo However, by late Tuesday said, gesturing to the direc-
usurper has lost," he pro- president, saying Maduro Chavez with politicizing Lopez and his family had tion of a military base.
claimed, a declaration had usurped power. Venezuela's military. De- sought refuge in the Chil- Mayor Gustavo Duque said
belied by events on the Now the struggle has spite the setback, she said ean ambassador's resi- the Salud Chacao medical
ground. heightened geopolitical she remained equally com- dence and later moved to center took in 27 patients
Across town at the Car- dimensions, with the Unit- mitted to the opposition's the Spanish Embassy. by late afternoon Wednes-
lota air base near where ed States and more than call for protest. Amid the unrest, Madu- day, one of whom was shot
Guaidó made his plea 50 other nations backing "We can't leave the streets," ro's military commanders in the foot by a firearm.
Tuesday for a revolt, in- Guaidó as Venezuela's she said. "We've been in went on state television Those injuries are on top of
tense clashes between legitimate president and this for years." to proclaim their loyalty. more than 50 reported by
protesters and troops loyal powerful Maduro allies like As the standoff drags on, But Bolton claimed that the hospital's director dur-
to Maduro made clear the Russia lending the belea- the lives of Venezuelans key power brokers, includ- ing clashes on Tuesday.
standoff would drag on. guered president military struggling with soaring ing Venezuela's defense Maduro didn't appear at
There and elsewhere state and economic support. hyperinflation rendering minister, the chief justice the socialist party rally, but
security forces launched U.S. National Security Ad- salaries worthless, as well of the pro-government Su- wrote on Twitter that he was
tear gas and fired rub- viser John Bolton said as shortages of food and preme Court and head of monitoring the march. He
ber bullets, while bands of Wednesday that Maduro is medicine could become the presidential guard had has remained largely out of
mostly young men armed surrounded by "scorpions in even more difficult. committed to achieve the public view since Guaidó's
with makeshift shields threw a bottle" and that key fig- "We need to get out of this peaceful transfer of power attempt to spark a mass
rocks and set a motorcycle ures among his inner circle tragedy," said Ana Camaril- to Guaidó. defection. Late Tuesday
ablaze. had been "outed" as deal- lo, a 46-year-old housewife. Yet none of those defec- night, he emerged on state
"I don't want to say it was ing with the opposition. David Smilde, a Venezu- tions materialized, with just television surrounded by his
a disaster," Marilina Car- The United States also pur- ela expert, said the oppo- one high-ranking official, closest advisers and blast-
illo, 54, said, standing in a ports that Maduro had sition's thus far unsuccessful the chief of Venezuela's ed Guiadó's move as a
crowd of people blowing been ready to flee, an air- attempt to trigger an upris- feared SEBIN intelligence U.S.-backed coup attempt.
horns and whistles. "But it's plane already on the tar- ing should provoke a round agency, breaking ranks. "This cannot go unpun-
wasn't a success." mac, but was talked out of of reflection. At a large pro-Maduro rally ished," he said.
Opposition leaders hoped it by Russian advisers. "Given the balance of Wednesday, ruling party The brazen move by
that Guaidó's risky move Maria Zakharova, a spokes- power within Venezuela leader Diosdado Cabello Guaidó is likely to force
would stir a string of high- woman for Russia's Foreign and the geopolitical strug- said that "as a block" Ven- Maduro to make a difficult
ranking defections and Ministry, said such assertions gle around it, they need to ezuela's military remained decision on whether to let
shake Maduro's grip on were part of a "global infor- engage in real politics and intact and united behind his adversary remain a free
power. Instead, some ana- mation and psychological real negotiations to move Maduro. He likened oppo- man. Giancarlo Morelli of
lysts expect the embattled war against Venezuela and this conflict to a different sition leaders to "walking the British analysis group
socialist leader to emerge Caracas." place," he said. zombies" a day after the Economist Intelligence Unit
even more emboldened. "There is no proof there was Tuesday's turmoil began uprising attempt. said Maduro faces peril
While the chief of Venezu- a Russian plane there," she with the dawn release of Luis Scott was among those whatever path he takes.
ela's feared intelligence said. "The U.S. is big on Ven- the video showing Guaidó wearing bright red shirts in "Failing to arrest Mr. Guaidó
agency broke ranks, most ezuela and wants to bring flanked by a few dozen solidarity with the socialist would be perceived as an
others stood steadfast. this to an end but that can- national guardsmen and government and said he important sign for weak-
The dramatic events not do that." Leopoldo Lopez, the na- traveled seven hours on a ness from Mr. Maduro," Mo-
could spell even more un- Protesters like Beatriz Pino, tion's most prominent ac- bus to participate in the ral- relli said. "But arresting Mr.
certainty for Venezuela, who took to the streets tivist. Detained in 2014 for ly. He admitted that Vene- Guaidó risks a strong coun-
which has been rocked Wednesday waving flags leading anti-government zuela has deep economic ter-reaction from the U.S.,"
by three months of politi- and banging pots and unrest, Lopez said security troubles, but said the path which has been ratcheting
cal upheaval after Guaidó pans, said they weren't en- forces following Guaidó's set by Chavez and Maduro up sanctions.q