Venezuela’s opposition has protested with rallies against the one-month power cuts. The self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaidó presented the demonstrations as the beginning of „Operation Freedom“, which is to push the socialist leader Nicolás Maduro to resign.
„We not only demand water and light, but also democracy and the future,“ said Guaidó at the main rally in Caracas. According to the opposition leader, more than 90 percent of the population believed that he wanted to change his government, with the help of armed paramilitary groups.
International conference announced
Guaidó called on his followers to take to the streets again with double force on Wednesday. He also announced an international conference to debate Venezuela on overcoming the current political and social crisis. He did not specify an exact date for this meeting.
Apparently there were incidents during the protests. Two members of the opposition had been temporarily detained at a rally in Maracaibo by security forces, the parliamentarians said the station VPItv. In clashes with the police were also injured in Maracaibo about 30 demonstrators, reported the newspaper „El Nacional“.
Also protests for Maduro
The socialist ruling party PSUV also called its supporters to a demonstration outside the presidential palace of Miraflores in Caracas in support of Maduro and „against imperialism“.
Further sanctions imposed
Guaidó was deprived of his immunity as parliamentary speaker this week. He is threatened with arrest. He was indomitable. The US and most other western states recognize him as the legitimate leader of Venezuela. They warn Maduro of arresting Guaidó. The US imposed further sanctions on the country on Friday.
