The uprising in Venezuela

The Venezuelan government is bracing for more protests which have now spread to the capital, Caracas.  The United Nations, as well as the Pope speaking from the Vatican, has called for peace. The government today organized a peace conference inviting the opposition which is also organizing a women’s rally led by congresswomen, Maria Corina Machado, and the wife of jailed opposition politician, Leopoldo Lopez. In the sustained uprising, dozens of persons have been injured, hundreds detained and at least thirteen persons have been killed during the protests.  The Venezuelan Ambassador to Belize, Yoel del Valle Perez Marcano sat down with News Five today to give his government’s perspective on the crisis.

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Yoel del Valle Pérez Marcano, Venezuelan Ambassador

Yoel del Valle Pérez Marcano

“It is important to state that in Venezuela exists a political process, which was initiated by the victory of Commandant Hugo Chavez in 1999. This caused the displacement of the old elitist system, along with all its economic policies. As a result of this, there have been many institutional, democratic, political, economic and social changes in our society. Those sectors, which have been displaced from power, have resisted these changes, not only democratically, but they have also provoked revolutions in 2002 and strikes in the oil industry, which is our main industry, with the aim of collapsing the government of Venezuela. They have also used violent actions and manifestations in order to erode and bring down the government.  At the moment Venezuela finds itself being attacked by minority groups from the Opposition in five states. They have blocked roads, burned public buildings, damaged private property and hindered public transportation. Our government has proved that these actions were initiated last year in September when they launched an economic war.  That sector that is responsible for the violence in Venezuela is a radical group of the Opposition. It is not the entire Opposition. The majority of the Opposition has been at the margin of that process, including the ex-presidential candidate, Capriles Radonski, who has claimed that he is not responsible. And we believe that he is not involved in these actions. The other traditional parties, such as Democratic Action and COPEI, have also distanced themselves from all this, even though they do not agree with the policies of our government. It is important to note that this commotion is concentrated in five states and eighteen municipalities. We have twenty-four states and three hundred and thirty-six municipalities. This means that the majority of Venezuelans are working, going to school and going about their daily way of life.”