“I call the people to combat, I call the people to maximum morality, to maximum unity!” Nicolás Maduro harangued in the midst of the revolutionary onslaught against the work team closest to the opposition leader, María Corina Machado. The Bolivarian boss justified the first arrest and the rest of the search orders based on an alleged conspiratorial plan, a classic in Chavista propaganda.
“We have to respect the country in national unity and in civic-military union. And repudiate those who lend themselves to defending those interests of (the oil company ExxonMobil), Guyana and the gringo empire. They make a plan to try to confuse the people from Venezuela and put a little money in. They conspire, they conspire with the greatest impunity. And when the Prosecutor’s Office comes and justice acts, they come out to whine and say that they are persecuted… Not persecuted, they are traitors to the country! “, pontificated the “son of Chávez” on the regime’s television stations.
After 48 hours, nothing is known about the first detainee, Roberto Abdul, president of the electoral organization Súmate, who was also part of the National Primary Committee (CNP) that organized the successful internal elections of the opposition. “We still have no information about his place of confinement, keeping his wife, daughters, family members and organization volunteers in anxiety,” the NGO Súmate complained through its social networks.
Two days in the hands of the Bolivarian Intelligence Service (SEBIN) and in forced disappearance while the other members of Vente Venezuela, the party created by Machado, have found refuge in a European embassy in Caracas. These are three key people in the liberal leader’s team: Henry Alviárez (national coordinator of the party), Claudia Macero (head of communication) and Pedro Urruchurtu (international relations coordinator).
Macero’s colleagues, a respected and beloved journalist in the profession, have recalled in recent hours the tweet she wrote on her networks a few years ago, but which also serves to explain what is currently happening in Venezuela: “At what point “We went from pursuing freedom to being persecuted for wanting it?”
Different professional unions and groups have denounced this persecution, one more in almost 25 years of revolution. “It is evident that the dictatorship has adopted a systemic and alarming trend in persecuting Venezuelans for political reasons. In this context, we express our deep concern at the continued efforts to repress and intimidate brave women who have assumed leadership roles in promoting democratic values,” stated the Women’s Political Alliance.
The operation launched by Chavismo, protected by the shield of a patriotic referendum that did not attract voters to the polls last Sunday, also coincides with the US demand that the Barbados agreements be fulfilled. Maduro only ordered the release of five of the 275 political prisoners held in his dungeons. Among them none of the prisoners of American origin, who already have one more hostage after the capture of businessman Savoi Wright.
“The dictatorship wants to isolate, dismantle and show that she was left alone. But María Corina is not alone, she counts on all of us, on the country that elected her. We are going to defend the will of the people,” reacted Delsa Solórzano, head of a group of six former primary candidates.