Venezuelans Unite Against Latest Coup Attempt by Far-Right Opposition

Early on Tuesday, April 30, self-proclaimed ‘interim president’ Juan Guaidó published a video on Twitter where he called on military personnel in Venezuela to overthrow the democratically elected president, Nicolás Maduro. However, sources on the ground indicated that the latest attempted coup had failed too. The coup attempt was accompanied by attempted takeovers of Venezuelan embassies in Buenos Aires and Washington DC by Guaidó’s supporters.

In Guaidó’s video, he urged soldiers to mobilize at the La Carlota airbase in Caracas for the “final phase” of ‘Operation Freedom.’ Guaidó was accompanied by several defectors from the Venezuelan security forces and far-right leader Leopoldo López, who was freed from house arrest earlier this morning by the defectors.

However, footage from the area showed that Guaidó’s latest uprising comprised of merely a small group of defected military personnel and far-right opposition supporters. These people are blocking the road on the Altamira Distributor road. Currently, the Venezuelan armed forces are working to pacify the volatile situation though for the most part, the rest of the city has been unaffected.

Government authorities, as well as social movements in Venezuela, have denounced the latest violent effort to overthrow the constitutional president of Venezuela. On January 23, Guaidó who is a member of Venezuela’s National Assembly, which has been in contempt of court since 2016, proclaimed himself interim president of Venezuela. His self-proclamation was supported by the United States, Canada, several member countries of the European Union and several right-wing Latin American countries.

In response to the coup attempt, the Venezuelan people once again united in defense of the Bolivarian Revolution and their democratically elected president, Nicolás Maduro.  Minister of defense Vladimir Padrino López affirmed that the National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela continued to maintain their loyalty and would defend the constitution and its legitimate authorities.

López said, “We reject this undemocratic action that aims to fill the country with violence. The pseudo political leaders who have placed themselves at the forefront of this subversive movement have used troops and police with weapons of war on a public road in the city to create anxiety and terror.”

President Nicolás Maduro also affirmed that the armed forces remain loyal to Bolivarian Venezuela: “Nerves of steel! I have talked with the commanders of every REDI and ZODI in the country, and they have declared they complete loyalty to the People, the Constitution and the Homeland. I call for the maximum popular mobilization to ensure the victory of Peace. We shall win!”

Government officials called on the people of Venezuela to come to the Miraflores Palace in the capital to rally against the coup attempt and show their continued support and loyalty to the constitutional president.

La gente desde #Miraflores envía mensaje al mundo. Aquí defendemos la #paz, la #democracia y la #soberanía con organización y movilización en unidad cívico militar.

¡#EEUU y la derecha local no pasarán!#30Abr pic.twitter.com/Je8W6Q3fBy

— CRBZ Venezuela ?? (@CRBZ_oficial) April 30, 2019

Since January, Guaidó with support from his foreign allies has orchestrated several media charades in order to push the situation in Venezuela to a breaking point, hoping to force Nicolás Maduro to step down. The clearest example of this was in February when after Maduro rejected the offer of humanitarian aid from the US, Guaidó gave an ultimatum and threatened to use all means necessary to force the passage of humanitarian aid through the Colombian border.

There have also been several illegal clandestine operations carried out with similar objectives. In March, there were a series of sabotage attacks to the infrastructure of the National Electrical System in Venezuela which caused serious damage and left the Venezuelan people across the country without electricity for several days. During the power outages, despite attempts by the right-wing to engender chaos, fear and violence, the will, solidarity and determination of the Venezuelan people persisted and communities came together to help provide the necessary services in their communities.

Activists defend embassies

Activists in Buenos Aires and Washington D.C. are defending Venezuelan embassies from a takeover bid by right-wing forces who are seemingly being assisted by state agencies in Argentina and the US.

Incredibly brave US citizens are currently guarding Venezuela’s DC embassy from an opposition takeover.

Increased Secret Sevice and right-wing presence here has coincided with a US backed coup attempt in Caracas today. pic.twitter.com/sl5tRM7qwx

— Anya Parampil (@anyaparampil) April 30, 2019

This latest coup attempt too has been mostly neutralized, but the action is a reminder that the imperialists and their lackeys are determined to try and overthrow Bolivarian Venezuela and its democratically elected leaders. But the will of the Venezuelan people and their allies across the world remains stronger, as they declare: They will not pass!