Guaidó freed Leopoldo López from his arrest and summoned the military and the people to take “the streets of Venezuela”
The offensive launched early this morning by Juan Guaidó to break the regime of Nicolás Maduro with the support of the Armed Forces has left, hours later, the photograph of an unequal battle. The support of a group of soldiers was enough to liberate, with a blow of effect, the opposition Leopoldo López from his house arrest. However, the operation failed to break the military leadership. The day ended with hard clashes between security forces and Chavistas in opposition to supporters.
First there were episodes of violence and repression around the La Carlota air base, where the two leaders made the announcement to try to mobilize soldiers and civilians by tightening the pressure on the street. Later, the clashes were transferred to other neighborhoods in eastern Caracas, a mainly opposition zone. Guaidó and López have harangued their followers to come out en masse to demonstrate against Maduro. But the mobilizations have not had, at least for the moment, the expected result.
The former mayor of the municipality Chacao, also, opted first to ask for protection at the Embassy of Chile, as confirmed by the Foreign Ministry of that country. “Lilian Tintori and her daughter entered as guests of our diplomatic mission in Caracas, and a couple of minutes ago her spouse, Leopoldo Lopez, who stays with her family in that place, reaffirms Chile’s commitment to [the] Venezuelan democrats,” announced his foreign minister, Roberto Ampuero. However, shortly after he left that diplomatic mission to go, according to the same source, to that of Spain.
The president of the Venezuelan National Assembly, recognized as interim president by more than 50 countries (including the United States), had removed Lopez from his home, where he had been detained since July 2017 after being sentenced to 13 years in prison, and appeared next to him surrounded by a group of armed uniformed. Maduro’s rival called on the population and the soldiers to surround these facilities and to launch what he considers the final phase of his challenge to Chavismo, which he has named Operation Libertad. “The moment is now,” he said.
“Today, brave soldiers, patriots, brave men attached to the Constitution, have come to our call. We have definitely found ourselves on the streets of Venezuela, “proclaimed Guaidó. “Today, fear is overcome. Today as president in charge, legitimate commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, I call all the soldiers and the entire military family to accompany us in this feat. Within the framework of the nonviolent struggle that we have done at all times, “emphasized the leader of Voluntad Popular, the same party to which the liberated opposition leader belongs. Lopez explained that his release came after a pardon of Guaidó to all political prisoners, a decision that was not opposed by the members of the Sebin (Bolivarian National Intelligence Service) who guarded him.
The offensive of Guaidó has been quickly supported by the United States and other countries allied with Guaidó, especially Colombia, as well as by the secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS). Spain, which led in Europe recognition of Guaidó as interim president, has assured that the Venezuelan politician is legitimized to lead the transition in Venezuela, but rejected any military offensive. Mexico, the only power in Latin America that has not recognized Guaidó, insisted on achieving a dialogued exit to the Venezuelan crisis.
The Government of Maduro responded to this coup d’état by immediately mobilizing the Special Actions Forces (FAES) and the National Guard to block access to the base of La Carlota. “Nerves of steel! I have talked with the commanders of all the REDI and ZODI of the country, who have shown their total loyalty to the people, the Constitution and the country.” I call for the maximum popular mobilization to ensure the victory of peace We will win! “The president tweeted hours after the opposition offensive.” We inform the people of Venezuela that we are currently facing and deactivating a small group of traitor military personnel who positioned themselves in the Altamira distributor to promote a coup. State against the Constitution and the peace of the Republic, “Communication Minister Jorge Rodríguez had previously said. “To this attempt was added the coup and murderous ultra-right, which announced its violent agenda for months. We call on the people to remain on high alert to, together with the glorious Bolivarian National Armed Forces, defeat the attempted coup and preserve peace. We will win, “he added.
The operation of Guaidó was launched on the eve of the great mobilization called for this Wednesday, May 1. The objective of the president of Parliament, who three months ago challenged the successor of Hugo Chávez, whose mandate he considers illegitimate, consists of marching towards the Miraflores palace, seat of the Government. The number two of the Chavism, Diosdado Cabello, appealed to the sympathizers and the so-called collectives, in practice groups of armed paramilitaries, to mobilize and protect Maduro. “We invite all the people, the motorized, collectives, militiamen to come to Miraflores to defend the revolution,” he urged.
In the video, published around six in the morning in Venezuela, the president proclaimed by the National Assembly calls for the mobilization of the citizens of Venezuela against the Chavez regime. Luis Florido, deputy for the Lara State, is with Guaidó. On the phone, he reported that there were few people at the time of the publication of the recording because it was still too early. “We are waiting for the Venezuelan people to approach and demonstrate,” he said, adding that the mission now is the “restitution of the Constitution that has been violated,” says Verónica Figueroa. Around seven o’clock in the morning local time (13.00 in the Spanish mainland), a tanqueta began to throw tear gas against the group of Guaidó, according to Florido, who has assured that the uniforms that accompany the interim president have not repelled the attacks . The former mayor of Caracas Antonio Ledezma said by telephone, from his exile in Madrid: “There is a bombing of tear gas as never before, there are people resisting, there are people who have accepted the call to restore the rule of law.” Ledezma has argued that the mobilization of Guaidó is not a coup because “whoever usurps power is Maduro.”
Guaidó has assured that there are already many soldiers who have joined: “To all those who are listening to us, it is time, today we all want to build the future of our children.” Guaidó had called for a large protest march against the regime of Nicolás Maduro on Wednesday. “Today the Armed Forces are on the side of the people, on the side of the Constitution,” he said. Guaidó has launched this message from the vicinity of the La Carlota air base where he has invited the “definitive cessation of the usurpation” of power by the Chavista regime. Luis Almagro, president of the OAS, has supported the initiative of Guaidó and his followers through his Twitter account: “We welcome the adhesion of the military to the Constitution. (…). It is necessary to fully support the process of democratic transition in a peaceful way “.
Lopez has also told social media about his release by the security forces loyal to Guaidó and, in line with the Venezuelan leader, has called for protests. “Everyone to mobilize, it’s time to conquer freedom, strength and faith,” he remarked. “They have been years of sacrifice, persecution and fear, as the legitimate Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces summoned the soldiers, all and all, to the military family, to accompany us in this feat within the framework of the Constitution and of nonviolent struggle, “the opposition leader continued with determination.
López (Caracas, 1971) was arrested in February 2014 and sentenced in September 2015 to serve a sentence of almost 14 years in prison on charges of conspiracy, instigation and destruction of public property. He was confined in the military prison of Ramo Verde until July 2017, when he was granted a “house for jail” measure. The measure of grace was the product of the mediation process carried out by the former president of the Spanish Government, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. Since then I was under house arrest.
Transitional government
Guaidó (La Guaira, 1983), president of the National Assembly of Venezuela, challenged Nicolás Maduro on January 23 by swearing in as interim president of the country during a massive demonstration in Caracas against the Chavez regime. “Before almighty God, Venezuela, I swear to formally assume the powers of the national executive as president in charge of Venezuela to achieve the cessation of usurpation, a transitional government and free elections,” he told a crowd. of Donald Trump, to which was added the support of more than 50 countries.The movement activated a process whose objective is “the cessation of usurpation, a transitional government and the convocation of free elections”.
During these two months, Guaidó has had to face the resistance of the Government, the repression of the Chavista police apparatus and Maduro’s own legal initiatives to move him away from politics and tighten the judicial fence of the opposition. The most radical sectors of the opposition have openly requested that Guaidó not waste more time and rely on the interpretation of article 187 of the Constitution, which in section 11 empowers the National Assembly to “authorize the use of Venezuelan military missions in abroad, or foreigners in the country “.
With information from El País.
