Venezuela Condemns Terrorist Attacks on Gurí Dam & Refineries

On Monday, May 23, the President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, condemned terrorist attacks that targeted Venezuela’s refinery complexes and Gurí hydroelectric plant.

“The Paraguaná refining complex suffered a terrorist attack,” President Maduro said. “On Saturday night the El Palito Refinery also received an attack on the electrical system—also a terrorist attack.” The statement was issued during a meeting at Miraflores Palace, the seat of the presidency, with the national leadership of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), government authorities, governors and mayors.

President Maduro warned that the refineries are being attacked by “infiltrated, hidden enemies,” and said that treasonous right-wing elements and Colombian President Iván Duque were behind the events.

“Recently the Gurí Hydroelectric Complex received two attacks on the operating system. They are attacking the electrical system, the refineries,” President Maduro said. “Alert the security system, alert the working class, oil, electricity, alert the power of the people, and, as I said in the private meeting, alert governors.”

He said that these plans seek to “harm economic, social, and political life,” damaging the country’s stability, and productive capacity.

President Maduro indicated that Oil Minister Tareck El Aissami is meeting with workers in the sector to take measures and ensure the “safe operation of our country’s refining complexes.”

Work day with the National Directorate of the PSUV, Council of Vice Presidents, Governors and Mayors of the capital cities of the country. Photo: Presidential Press.

Resistance against sanctions
Regarding the smear campaign against Venezuela’s economic progress, Maduro indicated that the real dilemma should be how to recover the country in the face of “the damage that the empire has done with its sanctions.”

“Who hurt Venezuela?” asked President Maduro. “US imperialism, its allied countries, hitting the economy.” He expressed regret that some individuals have tried to cover up this fact, or do not mention it. “We have resisted the sanctions, we are seeing a rebirth of Venezuela,” President Maduro said. The country, he added, “is going to fully recover with everyone’s efforts.”

All this, the head of state said, will lead to a recovery of Venezuela’s macroeconomic and macrosocial markers: “A new era of transition to socialism has begun that forces us to change everything, advancing to 2030 and beyond. The rentier state was left behind, now it is a state of justice, democracy, popular, of production, diversity, and productivity. Today our agenda has to be concrete, popular, of solutions.”

1×10 against the bureaucracy
President Maduro described the new 1×10 System of Good Government, which allows the national government to connect with the population directly using the Patria System and the VenApp social media network, is a method that “knocks down the bureaucracy.”

“With the 1×10, people have placed complaints about problems with water, gas, telecommunications, and we are attending to them immediately,” he said. He reported that 325 complaints have been reported through the VenApp social media network, of which 50% have been resolved.

“What is coming here is a government of the people, for the people, a rebirth of the revolution and popular power,” said President Maduro. “Revolutionizing everything, ending bureaucratism and indolence.”

Featured image: President Nicolás Maduro (center) escorted by Vice President Delcy Rodríguez (right) and Deputy Diosdado Cabello (left) during a working meeting with the National Directorate of the PSUV, council of vice presidents, governors and mayors of the capital cities of Venezuela. Photo: Presidential Press.

(Alba Ciudad)

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

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