shockedcanadian
Diamond Member
- Aug 6, 2012
- 29,745
- 26,987
Socialism. The bane of civilization. Venezuelans are seeing first hand the results of socialism.
Theft, "misuse", cronyism, nepotism, using the security apparatus to crush individual rights and liberty. State patsies and soulless, Godless scumbags who defy natural law. Now that the economy is collapsing, the party is over.
Venezuela braces for the 'mother of all protests' as both sides call for rallies
As Venezuela braces for the “mother of all protests” on Wednesday, opposition figurehead Henrique Capriles needs no reminder of the risks involved in inflaming an already febrile national mood.
The walls of his office building are still blackened from the fire that blazed here last week after security forces lobbed a gas canister during an anti-government demonstration.
That clash was fuelled by the comptroller general’s decision on 7 April to bar the 44-year-old from running for public office until 2032 for allegedly misusing public funds.
Capriles – who narrowly lost the last presidential election – denies the charges and accuses president Nicolás Maduro of being a dictator, which has raised tensions in this violently divided nation.
At least six people have been killed and 200 injured since the end of March, when the supreme court briefly assumed the legislative duties of the opposition-controlled Congress. With both sides calling for huge rallies on Wednesday, it is feared this toll could rise.
Maduro has described his opponents as “rightwing fascists” and talked of “terrorism” aimed at ousting him from power. Alarmingly, he has also provided guns this week to the 40,000-strong civilian militias.
Despite concerns of a repeat of the deadly clashes that killed 43 in 2014 (with victims on both sides), the governor of Miranda state said he was determined to maintain the pressure on the administration.
“I cannot just sit by and watch a government that is increasingly authoritarian. I feel it is my duty to stand up,” he told the Guardian. “I have given this fight the best years of my life, and I am not going to stop now.”
Theft, "misuse", cronyism, nepotism, using the security apparatus to crush individual rights and liberty. State patsies and soulless, Godless scumbags who defy natural law. Now that the economy is collapsing, the party is over.
Venezuela braces for the 'mother of all protests' as both sides call for rallies
As Venezuela braces for the “mother of all protests” on Wednesday, opposition figurehead Henrique Capriles needs no reminder of the risks involved in inflaming an already febrile national mood.
The walls of his office building are still blackened from the fire that blazed here last week after security forces lobbed a gas canister during an anti-government demonstration.
That clash was fuelled by the comptroller general’s decision on 7 April to bar the 44-year-old from running for public office until 2032 for allegedly misusing public funds.
Capriles – who narrowly lost the last presidential election – denies the charges and accuses president Nicolás Maduro of being a dictator, which has raised tensions in this violently divided nation.
At least six people have been killed and 200 injured since the end of March, when the supreme court briefly assumed the legislative duties of the opposition-controlled Congress. With both sides calling for huge rallies on Wednesday, it is feared this toll could rise.
Maduro has described his opponents as “rightwing fascists” and talked of “terrorism” aimed at ousting him from power. Alarmingly, he has also provided guns this week to the 40,000-strong civilian militias.
Despite concerns of a repeat of the deadly clashes that killed 43 in 2014 (with victims on both sides), the governor of Miranda state said he was determined to maintain the pressure on the administration.
“I cannot just sit by and watch a government that is increasingly authoritarian. I feel it is my duty to stand up,” he told the Guardian. “I have given this fight the best years of my life, and I am not going to stop now.”
