The president of Venezuela, Nicolas Madurourged the powers of the State to act with an “iron fist” in the face of alleged hate crimes that, according to him, arose during the protests against his re-election, which left a balance of 25 dead and 192 injured.
“I demand that all the powers of the State “We need greater speed, greater efficiency and an iron fist against crime, against violence, against hate crimes. Strict, accurate justice, to enforce constitutional principles,” Maduro said during a meeting with the authorities.
The president questioned the opposition’s responsibility for the violent acts: “Where are the masterminds of this violence? Where are the financiers? Where is Mr. Edmundo González Urrutia? Why is he fleeing? Where is the biggest fascist, Mrs. Machado, who orders people to kill, who orders people to assassinate?” he asked.
González Urrutia, who represented Machado on the ballot after his disqualification, has not appeared in public for almost two weeks. Machado, for his part, remains in hiding, claiming to fear for his life due to “massive repression.”
For their part, the opposition and the United States have opened the way for mediation led by the governments of Brazil, Colombia and Mexico, with the aim of finding a solution.
The official death toll from the protests, according to Attorney General Tarek William Saab, is 25 dead and 192 wounded, including two soldiers. These figures coincide with those reported by human rights organizations, which denounced an “escalation of repression.”
“They were killed by the extreme right… people of good will, young people,” he said, showing images of some of the victims.
Marta Valiñas, president of the Independent International Mission of the UN Human Rights Council, stressed the need to thoroughly investigate these deaths: “If the abusive use of lethal force by security forces and the participation of armed civilians acting with the connivance of these forces is confirmed, those responsible must be held accountable.”
Maduro denounced being under attack by a “cyberfascist coup d’état,” while the parliament, controlled by Chavismo, is promoting regulation for social networks. This initiative is part of a legislative package that also seeks to regulate NGOs and punish “fascism,” the term Maduro uses to refer to his opponents. / 24 HORAS
TIMELINE TITLE:
VENEZUELAN ELECTORAL LABYRINTH: 16 DAYS OF UNCERTAINTY
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2024-08-16 23:54:20