Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez in Cumanacoa, Sucre state, which has been affected by Hurricane Beryl. A few minutes later part of the government emergency response command suffered an accident that injured her and the mayor of Cumanacoa. Photo: Maduradas.com.
Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez and the mayor of Montes municipality, Tomás Bello, were injured when a tree fell on the vehicle in which they were traveling during their supervision of the response to the emergency caused by Hurricane Beryl in Cumanacoa, Sucre state, President Nicolás Maduro reported.
“Unfortunately, our colleague Delcy Rodríguez had an accident in Cumanacoa, while serving the people, working with them,” President Maduro reported on Tuesday, July 2, at night. “Walking the streets of Cumanacoa, they stopped under a tree and a very strong gale hit, knocking down several trees, and one of the trees fell on top of part of that team.”
He added that Rodríguez is conscious despite having been “badly injured” in the accident. The victims had been taken to Cumaná to receive medical attention.
Far-right hate speech gloating over Rodríguez’s injury
Far-right sectors published a string of hateful messages gloating over Delcy Rodríguez’s injuries. Several personalities condemned these displays of contempt against the Venezuelan vice president.
President Maduro condemned the messages published on social media by some opposition personalities, who mocked the vice president for suffering an accident while serving Venezuelans facing an emergency.
The president expressed his indignation at the hateful messages and wondered what it would be like if the right wing were to come to power one day.
“I have to express my indignation, because hatred is outrageous, the comments made by the fascists are outrageous. It outrages the people because we are attending to people in need, and those who make these comments, what are they doing, where are they?” the president asked.
Maduro then showed comments by some far-right journalists in which they mocked what happened to Rodríguez. He quoted the message shared on X by Mari Montes: “We should send our love to the tree, let us never forget that it is the work of God.”
He also mentioned Orlando Avendaño, who wrote: “A tree fell on Delcy Rodríguez, haha.” Enmanuel Rincón wrote: “Maduro claims that a tree fell on Delcy Rodríguez. The bad news is that she survived.”
National Assembly Deputy Diosdado Cabello reproached the right-wing extremists for being happy about Delcy Rodríguez’s accident.
“It is shameful that the spokespeople of the most twisted far right rejoice over the accident involving our beloved Delcy Rodríguez and other officials,” Diosdado Cabello said. “They demonstrate their hatred but also their level. They cannot contain us. Delcy and the others are fine and we will win.”
Delcy Rodríguez hizo contacto telefónico con Nicolás Maduro este miércoles: “Estoy feliz caminando, con golpes, pero caminando, salimos baratos, agradezco las oraciones y las buenas energías de todos”#3Jul#SS981 pic.twitter.com/AQUGDTMrdm
— S.S. 98.1 FM (@superstereo981) July 3, 2024
Rodríguez’s statements after the incident
Vice President Rodríguez made a brief statement on Wednesday afternoon, the day after the incident. “The tree had a very strong impact on us,” Rodríguez said in a telephone conversation with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro during a live television broadcast.
“Today there is a stronger wind, but that’s fine,” added the vice president, adding that she was “happy” to be able to “move now.”
She further added that the others involved in the accident were less injured than expected by the impact they had received.
“I want to thank everyone for their prayers, their good wishes, their positive energy, and above all the people of Cumanacoa, who were there helping us,” the vice president said in her conversation with President Maduro. “I am very happy that the [emergency response] team is moving forward, the ministers are there, you were always attentive.”
“An accident will not stop us; it will strengthen us and, we will come out with more energy, with more emotion and with more love for life, for Venezuela and for the people,” she added.
Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff
OT/JRE/SC
