Venezuela will establish a special commission to counter the right-wing violence that is attempting to destabilize the country in the wake of Sunday's election.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro made six important announcements on national radio and television from the Council of State and the National Defense Council on Tuesday afternoon. The president spoke about the cyberattack on the National Electoral Council (CNE) and providing support and protection for the people harmed during yesterday’s violence. Right-wing factions and armed criminals, encouraged by the US-backed opposition, have attempted to launch guarimbas [violent protests also staged in 2014 and 2017] in the wake of President Maduro’s electoral victory on Sunday. The CNE’s online infrastructure was attacked on Sunday evening, immediately prior to the announcement of the election results, producing a slight delay in the announcement, and the CNE website has been knocked offline since the election.
Analysts have characterized the actions as yet another attempted color revolution to overthrow the democratically elected president of Venezuela. In their 2021 book, Extraordinary Threat: The U.S. Empire, the Media, and Twenty Years of Coup Attempts in Venezuela (Monthly Review Press), authors Justin Podur and Joe Emersberger highlighted six coup attempts led by the US and its vassals against Venezuela dating back to the electoral victory of socialist Hugo Chávez in 1998.
The six announcements issued by President Maduro were as follows:
1) A special commission has been created, President Maduro stated, “to evaluate, with Russian and Chinese advice, the country’s biosecurity system, which is under attack and, in particular, the attack that has created severe damage to the communication system of the National Electoral Council (CNE). The Electoral Council will inform the country, but we asked for advice, because the attacks, I am sure, are directed by the power of Elon Musk.”
2) An economic fund of US $10 million has been created to support the victims of the fascist commandos of Vente Venezuela, who yesterday carried out violent protest actions, looting, and destruction of public and private property, including acts of arson on a public hospital and attacks of members of the National Guard.
3) A commission chaired by Jorge RodrĂguez and bringing to together communications experts has been created so that the best experts of the country and the National Assembly can defend Venezuela`s institutions against the attacks and the poison of hate and violence in the media and on social media networks. “There is an Organic Law against Hate Crimes in Social Networks that is being worked on in the National Assembly,“ said President Maduro. In addition, he asked for patience regarding in these issues.
Venezuela: Far-Right Opposition Rejects Election Results, Attempts to Launch Guarimbas
4) A special deployment of the Bolivarian National Armed Force (FANB) and police forces is being carried out to patrol and protect communities, alongsided social movements who support the elected government, against these right-wing commandos.
5) The president approved a plan, to be led by Diosdado Cabello and Remigio Ceballos, for the protection of the Venezuelan people in Barrio Adentro against the violent actions of criminal right-wing gangs, who are attempting to intimidate CLAP [Venezuela’s social programs that provide low-cost food to millions of citizens] leaders and community spokespeople. He noted that an 80-year-old woman with whom former President Chavez had corresponded in the passt was harassed yesterday by fascist groups, among other acts of terrorism.
6) A joint National Government-Prosecutor’s Office commission has been appointed to protect victims of the right-wing agitators. The victims will be attended to and supported in terms of legal, social, and economic needs.
President Maduro also pointed out that in the VenApp online application, used by millions of Venezuelans, an option will be launched in the coming hours that will allow citizens to report delinquent and criminal groups, with total privacy and confidentiality. The reports will reach the Presidential Command Post and immediate action will be taken.
(Alba Ciudad) with Orinoco Tribune content
OT/SL