Daniel Aponte, the chief of the Capital District (Caracas), spoke today on the planned opposition protest in the city on September 1. Aponte addressed the possibility that the opposition protesters might try to march in the Libertador municipality, which makes up the eastern half of Caracas and houses a number of government buildings, including the Presidential Palace at Miraflores.
For Aponte, the matter is clear: the opposition cannot march in Libertador. Aponte explained:
They will not enter the Libertador municipality (…) They think that they’re above the law, and every time they enter Libertador they cause violence.
While the Constitution clearly grants Venezuelans the right to peaceful assembly without any geographical restrictions, the PSUV has banned opposition demonstrations in the east of Caracas out of a fear that they might concentrate in front of the Miraflores Palace.
As a result, any opposition demonstrators wishing to march in Libertador must request the municipality permission to do so. Because Libertador municipality is headed by PSUV mayor Jorge Rodriguez, the opposition has little hope of receiving a demonstration permit.
Aponte said that since the opposition had not applied for the permits, they simply would not be allowed to take their demonstration into the east of the city.
Maduro: “Revolutionary Offensive” Kicks Off September 1
Maduro called in to a televised PSUV event lat night to announce that September 1 would mark the beginning of the “Revolutionary Offensive Plan”. That date is significant because it is the same date that the opposition is holding what it hopes will turn out to be one of the biggest demonstrations in Venezuelan history.
While Maduro did not provide any concrete details about the plan, he did say that it would last until September 31, and that it involves the “successful remate [literally “conclusion”]of work, prosperity and peace”.
Maduro also called on supporters to keep “their fighting guard up”, and said:
The people want a revolution, and the people want to defend their right to peace and to do the revolution on the streets, [by] taking every space, in the slums, guaranteeing peace in the slums, in urban spaces, on the streets.
Maduro also alluded to the opposition’s protest in Caracas that same day, saying:
Against these threats there is only one answer: a mobilized people, a people on the streets, a conscientious people.
RunRun.Es: Students Trying to “Recruit” Army Staff
RunRun.Es published an article today in which it claims to have seen an official military report on the activities of student protesters near military installations in Caracas.
According to the article, Divisional General Carlos Alberto Martinez Stapulionis, the ranking officer in the Capital Defensive Zone, has forwarded a report to the National Guard and the SEBIN about the activities of a group of students near the Paseo Los Proceres earlier this week.
The report claims that approximately 20 students gathered in the area with signs some time this week and were attempting to convince military personnel to join the opposition demonstration on September 1. A military police unit responded to the scene, and the students went to another part of the city to hand out pamphlets related to the September 1 demonstration.
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