Day 6 of the dictatorship: back to the streets
I will be brief because today I could not follow events and only learned about the mess driving around El Recreo/Av. Libertador mid afternoon. The show was over but I crossed many an attempt at barricade, burning trash bags, rocks strewn over the streets... It clearly had been rough and back at a computer at 5 PM I could watch some of the videos that were a hit, so to speak, today.
And yet this morning I should have got the warning. The regime not only monitored and blocked access to Caracas as much as it could, but the subway stations that could carry opposition marchers to the meeting point were closed "to protect the integrity of the stations and its workers" as if Caracas subway had ever been a battle field. What the regime was afraid is that the opposition would show the world it was back in the streets like in September when the regime felt on the edge of the cliff. Anything was good enough to lower attendance.
Also the objective of the protest march was not at all what the regime wanted: it was to accompany opposition representatives to the National Assembly to start proceedings to remove some of the judges of the high court TSJ. If the excuse was the rulings of last week it remains that the opposition had ground to remove these judges as early as when the NA was sworn in last year. Dithering within the opposition is costing quite a lot. But I digress.
Whatever the case, the regime was in full repression mode. Apparently several representatives were attacked and hurt. There has been many injuries, lots of tear gas, and of course a few new political prisoners. But what was the novelty here is that the opposition confronted the repressive apparatus with new brio, with a decisiveness not seen last year. In short, the situation of the country is becoming so bad that many are losing their inhibitions. And that may be real bad, or real good, depending on your own values. Thus I need just to close this post with some videos that will illustrate my point, and also underlying the fact that the regime is in full repression mode the day after the OAS voted against the regime, giving the OAS ample reason to self congratulate. After today there is little doubt in my mind that a large chunk of chavismo wants out of the OAS and Mercosur.
First one on a protester stealing the grenade launcher from some Nazional Guards, and some "colectivo" member, a.k.a. chavismo storm troopers trying to recover it for the Guards. Reckless bu , oh, so telling.
In case you do not get it, there is also a Tien An Men moment.
And two more. There are more videos but I suspect that these are enough for you to get the feel for the day. The first one is how the marchers managed to by pass barriers and take over Caracas main central highway. The second is the Libertador Avenue battle, I guess a couple of hours before I drove by among the debris, and still plenty of people streaming away.
It goes without saying that the NA was unable to read Congress to hold its session.
And yet this morning I should have got the warning. The regime not only monitored and blocked access to Caracas as much as it could, but the subway stations that could carry opposition marchers to the meeting point were closed "to protect the integrity of the stations and its workers" as if Caracas subway had ever been a battle field. What the regime was afraid is that the opposition would show the world it was back in the streets like in September when the regime felt on the edge of the cliff. Anything was good enough to lower attendance.
Also the objective of the protest march was not at all what the regime wanted: it was to accompany opposition representatives to the National Assembly to start proceedings to remove some of the judges of the high court TSJ. If the excuse was the rulings of last week it remains that the opposition had ground to remove these judges as early as when the NA was sworn in last year. Dithering within the opposition is costing quite a lot. But I digress.
Whatever the case, the regime was in full repression mode. Apparently several representatives were attacked and hurt. There has been many injuries, lots of tear gas, and of course a few new political prisoners. But what was the novelty here is that the opposition confronted the repressive apparatus with new brio, with a decisiveness not seen last year. In short, the situation of the country is becoming so bad that many are losing their inhibitions. And that may be real bad, or real good, depending on your own values. Thus I need just to close this post with some videos that will illustrate my point, and also underlying the fact that the regime is in full repression mode the day after the OAS voted against the regime, giving the OAS ample reason to self congratulate. After today there is little doubt in my mind that a large chunk of chavismo wants out of the OAS and Mercosur.
First one on a protester stealing the grenade launcher from some Nazional Guards, and some "colectivo" member, a.k.a. chavismo storm troopers trying to recover it for the Guards. Reckless bu , oh, so telling.
Note how reckless protesters are when lifting the rifle. How a colectivo tried to get it back. Dangerous angerhttps://t.co/BGg90PS1co— daniel duquenal (@danielduquenal) April 4, 2017
In case you do not get it, there is also a Tien An Men moment.
Those TienAnMen moments, in Caracas today. https://t.co/2uAqENpToI— daniel duquenal (@danielduquenal) April 4, 2017
And two more. There are more videos but I suspect that these are enough for you to get the feel for the day. The first one is how the marchers managed to by pass barriers and take over Caracas main central highway. The second is the Libertador Avenue battle, I guess a couple of hours before I drove by among the debris, and still plenty of people streaming away.
It goes without saying that the NA was unable to read Congress to hold its session.
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