Maduro Supporters Storm Venezuela’s Congress

[Dashinka 25,920]

More news out of the socialist paradise that is Venezuela.  All the progress is certainly beneficial to those living there.

 

By 

Kejal Vyas and Anatoly Kurmanaev

Updated July 5, 2017 10:06 p.m. ET

221 COMMENTS

CARACAS—Government supporters armed with pipes and sticks burst into Venezuela’s congress on Wednesday and severely beat several opposition lawmakers, as the nation’s political crisis grows more inflamed ahead of a contested effort to redraft the constitution.

The violence started after dozens of backers of the president stormed the opposition-controlled National Assembly in downtown Caracas ahead of a legislative session to mark Venezuela’s independence day. 

Some 300 congressional workers and journalists sought protection by barricading themselves for several hours inside the assembly, where lawmakers also were organizing an unofficial July 16 ballot to counter President Nicolás Maduro’s plan to rewrite the constitution, which his critics say is a last-ditch effort by the unpopular leader to forgo elections.

 

“The dictatorship’s attack cannot go against a people decided on regaining freedom,” opposition lawmaker Armando Armas said in a post on social media after he was left bloodied by protesters, according to witnesses.

The attack drew swift international censure. “My absolute condemnation of the violent assault on Venezuelan parliament,” Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said in a message posted on his Twitter profile.

 

The U.S. State Department in a statement called the attack “an assault on the democratic principles cherished by the men and women who struggled for Venezuela’s independence 206 years ago.”

 

Venezuela’s government said in an emailed statement it would investigate the attack.

 

A 58-year-old lawmaker, Américo De Grazia, was taken away in an ambulance after receiving injuries to the head, according to lawmakers. His son Federico told local media the politician was in stable condition. Photographs showed a seemingly unconscious Mr. De Grazia covered in blood on the lawn on the National Assembly.

 

Another congressman, José Guerra, posted photos on social media of what appeared to be a bullet hole in a window of the building. “Fortunately, no one was hit,” he said in the post.

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/maduro-supporters-storm-venezuelas-congress-1499289827

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

In high school my History teacher had a revolving bet to buy each kid a B&R shake if there was not an Latin America coup or extra constitutional transfer of power by the end of the school year. He renewed the bet every year as far as anyone I talked to could remember it and as far as we know retired without paying out.  I good way to keep the kids reading newspapers.

[Dashinka 25,920]

3 hours ago, ccneat said:

In high school my History teacher had a revolving bet to buy each kid a B&R shake if there was not an Latin America coup or extra constitutional transfer of power by the end of the school year. He renewed the bet every year as far as anyone I talked to could remember it and as far as we know retired without paying out.  I good way to keep the kids reading newspapers.

Isn't this a bit different?  It seems that in this case Maduro is doing everything he can to stay in power and maintain the democratic socialist paradise.

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

44 minutes ago, Bill & Katya said:

Isn't this a bit different?  It seems that in this case Maduro is doing everything he can to stay in power and maintain the democratic socialist paradise.

No not really different, it is symptomatic  of Latin American politics, poverty, petro politics, gap between the classes, lack of land reform and other factors. Whether the dictator is on the left or the right makes no difference to the poor who suffer regardless.