Opposition leader Juan Guaido spoke today on the eve of the nationwide protest planned for tomorrow, calling on Venezuelans to remain firm in the face of threats and intimidation by the Maduro regime.
Speaking to university students at the Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV) in Caracas, Guaido said that the only factor lacking in the opposition’s quest to see Maduro leave power is the armed forces. He said:
The loyalty of the armed forces is the only factor that we have yet to build.
At a speech yesterday, Guaido said that November 16 would see the start of a protest “without return”. In the context of protests in Venezuela, this phrase refers to a common critique of opposition protest strategy, which sometimes draws tens of thousands of people to the streets, but that ultimately disappears.
For many critics of this apparent lack of overarching strategy is the protest “without return”: that is, the one that sees demonstrators remain on the streets indefinitely, as did demonstrators in Tahrir Square in Egypt, and in Ukraine in 2013-2014.
Tomorrow’s protests are expected to begin in the mid-morning.
Cabello: “We’re Going to Fuck You Up”
PSUV vice president Diosdado Cabello spoke at an event this afternoon on a number of issues, including tomorrow’s opposition protests.
Cabello had a crass warning for Venezuelans hoping to participate in protests tomorrow. He said:
Los vamos a joder [We’re going to fuck you up], I’m not joking.
If they [the protesters] come out in Caracas, we’ll fuck them you. If they come out in Amazonas, Tachira, and Zulia, we’re going to fuck them up, and I’m not joking.
Cabello also had a message for the opposition leadership, whom he accused of misleading their followers. He said:
They [the opposition leadership] have to understand, because they keep lying to their own people, saying that today is the day, and some people still believe their lies.
Cabello then bragged that “only chavistas” have the capability to “lock down” the country, and said that only the PSUV could maintain peace in the country.
Below, a video of Cabello’s comments:
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