The Foro Penal Venezolano [Venezuelan Penal Forum] gave an update on the number of Venezuelans currently ensnared by the country’s legal system. According to the organization, 73 Venezuelans are currently in prison “for thinking differently“.
Djamil Jassir, a student representative from the Universidad Catolica Andres Bello, spoke on the issue during a student rally in Caracas today:
There are at this time 73 Venezuelans behind bars for thinking differently, according to figures from the Foro Penal Venezolano. Justice has yet to be served in the cases of the 44 people murdered during these six months of protests…
Jassir also pointed out that there are more than 2,000 students throughout the country under regimen de presentacion, a type of probation that requires frequent check-ins with local authorities.
Maduro Calls for Construction of New “Popular State”
At an event held at the Teresa Carreño theatre in Caracas today, Maduro called on the country to help build a new “popular state”, and reminded the audience that there was a “revolution” happening within the government:
We have to push the political machine to [continue the] revolution to create a new popular state.
(…)
I’ve said it before: We’re going to do a great sacudon [literally, “shake-up”] throughout the whole government, in all systems of government, from administration to decision making, to policy implementation.
Maduro took his calls further, arguing for the need to create a completely new governing apparatus:
We have to build a new government, and it has to function as a popular state, with its systems of government, decision-making… to overcome the bureaucracy, slowness, corruption and inefficiency.
MUD to Stick Together At Least Through 2015
The Mesa de Unidad Democratica (MUD), the largest bloc of opposition parties in the country, held a meeting today in which it agreed to remain together at least through next year.
The MUD has had a rough couple of years, including a string of electoral defeats (including at the presidential level), as well as a rash of resignations from its highest ranking officials.
A truck carrying dairy products rolled over on the Autopista Regional del Centro in Aragua state. The contents of the truck were promptly looted by a mob of people:
Finally, a video from a rally held by striking SIDOR workers today in Ciudad Guayana, Bolivar state:
In Venezuela 