Venezuela Condemns Sabotage on Angostura Bridge Over Orinoco River

The vice president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, denounced an act of sabotage on the Angostura Bridge over the Orinoco River that connects Anzoátegui state with Bolívar state.

Rodríguez reported on Tuesday, June 25, that saboteurs cut 20% of the wires of the supporting structure of the bridge. She explained that was not theft, because after cutting the wires the saboteurs had left them there. She pointed out that those who cut the wires “had to descend 50 meters to the base of the bridge, at 40°C with little oxygen, and they have been cutting the wires that support the bridge.”

Transport Minister Ramón Velásquez Araguayán said that there were shear cuts made intentionally. “There is clear and precise evidence of this—1,400 hairs of wire were cut, out of the 7,184 that each wire has, that is, between 10% and 20% of the bridge suspension structure,” he exlained. The minister showed photos of the cuts on the wires as clear evidence of the terrorist intentions.

The damage will be repaired and a camera system will be installed to monitor both this bridge and the Orinoquia bridge, near Ciudad Guayana, 24 hours a day. The minister added that there is a coordination among national companies and a technical team of bridge structural health experts because “this sabotage plan is being directed by criminal minds and they can take it to other parts of the country.”

“The objective [of the sabotage] was to tear down the bridge,” said Vice President Delcy Rodríguez. “We are immediately going to intervene to repair the damage they have tried to cause.” She stressed that despite sabotage attempts the presidential elections will be held on July 28 according to schedule.

Electricity Sabotage Alert in Venezuela Amid Essequibo Referendum

The vice president mentioned that orders have been given to restrict the passage of heavy cargo through the Angostura bridge, and this transport will be diverted to the Orinoquia bridge. The maximum speed limit on the Angostura bridge will be 40 kilometers per hour while expert teams work to fix the damage cause by terrorists.

A few weeks ago a smaller bridge that connects Barquisimeto with Maracaibo, in the west of Venezuela, collapsed under unclear circumstances, causing the death of one person and injury to three more. The Venezuelan government announced an investigation on the causes of that collapse, but no advances have been disclosed yet.

(Alba Ciudad) with Orinoco Tribune content

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

OT/JRE/MCM