United Socialist Party of Venezuela First Vice President Diosdado Cabello. Photo: Últimas Noticias.
This Thursday, Venezuelans will take to the streets throughout the country to commemorate the events of April 11, 12, and 13, 2002, noted the first vice president of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), Diosdado Cabello, on Monday.
On April 13, 2002, a historic event occurred when the Venezuelan people refused to allow their democracy and sovereignty to be taken away, leading to the restoration of imprisoned President Hugo Chávez Frías, who returned to his post less than 48 hours after a right wing-coup d’état took him briefly out of power.
At a press conference, Cabello indicated that the activities will begin this Tuesday.
Cabello recalled some moments “of great popular victory of April 11-12-13, 2002.”
“Seeing the face of the monster of fascism [for] less than 48 hours—that is how long its joy lasted,” said Cabello. “On a day like today, José Vicente and I went to the Globovisión headquarters, we met with the owners of the media, and they looked like hyenas. Then we informed the president that these people were involved in a coup. That following Sunday, there was Commander Chávez himself with ‘Aló, Presidente, together with his people.
Cabello noted the importance of young people being aware of the events that triggered the coup against President Hugo Chávez.
“On April 13, we will have a great mobilization throughout the country,” Cabello said. “Starting tomorrow, we will have various activities. It is important that young people know what happened. It is important that this history is not lost… Laws were approved, and the business sectors of the country declared war, united with the unions of the time.”
He stated that, despite the conspiracies against the revolutionary process, the events recorded in April 2002 gave way to the civil-military union, which has been strengthened over the years.
“That day, it was clear that the will and desire of the people was to rescue Commander Chávez, and the civic-military union was produced, asking, together, that Commander Hugo Chávez Frías be returned,” Cabello said.
More than 12,000 assemblies to debate corruption
During the press conference, the socialist leader indicated that 12,544 assemblies of the Bolívar-Chávez Battle Units (UBCh) have registered throughout the country in order to debate proposals to deal with corruption.
“We have 100 lines of what our bases say, believe, and think about these facts… We have to go a little beyond the UBCh and summon everyone. The issue of corruption is a fight of the entire people,” Cabello said.
Cabello recalled that more than 60 people have been arrested for acts of corruption and asserted that it would not be surprising if more arrests were made.
This Sunday, the attorney general of Venezuela, Tarek William Saab, indicated that 67 arrest warrants and 142 nationwide searches have been requested as part of the Anti-Corruption Operation undertaken by the Venezuelan State to prosecute those responsible for illegal acts detected within Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), the National Superintendency of Cryptoassets (PDVSA-Cripto), Corporación Venezolana de Guayana (CVG), and other entities.
The people mobilized in defense of the Essequibo
On the other hand, Cabello urged the people to come out in defense of the Essequibo, following a decision issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
“The country must be mobilized, because the Essequibo issue is not just the government’s,” Cabello said. “We continue to recognize the territory of Guayana Esequiba. The sun of Venezuela rises in Essequibo.”
“We are preparing a direct action document for our people to debate,” said Cabello. “The country has to be fully mobilized. It [Essequibo] belongs to the country, and we accompany the national government in everything it has been carrying out.”
In the judgment issued this Thursday, the ICJ decided to review the fraud committed by the United Kingdom in the 1899 Paris arbitral award.
Similarly, in a recent statement, Venezuela ratified its adherence to the Geneva Agreement signed in 1966 to settle the territorial dispute over the territory of Guayana Esequiba.
(Últimas Noticias) by Ariadne Eljuri
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/KW/SL
