Speaking on the eve of what is expected to be the largest opposition protest in weeks, Juan Guaido said today that he had “plans” in case the Maduro regime tries to prevent his supporters from staging a demonstration at the National Assembly tomorrow.
Guaido spoke on the reasons why he thinks Venezuelans will turn up tomorrow for the protest, saying:
We are a country that is demanding dignity. This isn’t a fight about power.
On the high chance that the Maduro regime will try to stop the demonstration from taking place, Guaido said that the authorities would be making a mistake. As he sees it:
The more [repression] there is, the more mobilizations [there will be], and the more unified every sector will become.
Guaido also assured supporters that the opposition has undertaken measures to circumvent any attempts by the authorities to stop the rally from taking place, including the distribution of pamphlets at rally points to guide protesters through streets and alternate routes to the legislative palace. On these pamphlets, Guaido said:
They’ll have a watermark. The route will be printed on them, and they’ll say what to do in case the march is blocked. We know that they [the government] will put up roadblocks, and that’s why we’ve got plans.
The Maduro regime will often attempt opposition demonstrations from taking place by blocking access to meeting points and/or demonstration destinations, despite constitutional guarantees that provide all Venezuelans the right to peaceful demonstration and assembly.
In early January, regime forces prevented opposition deputies from entering the National Assembly building to cast their votes in the election of the new executive committee, forcing Guaido and others to attempt to scale the fence of the building.
Cabello Calls for PSUV Supporters to Rally in Front of National Assembly Tomorrow
PSUV vice president Diosdado Cabello has issued a call for regime supporters to attend a rally near the National Assembly tomorrow. Cabello’s call falls in line with the regime’s long-standing modus operandi of calling for demonstrations on the same day that the opposition does.
Cabello said that the PSUV rally will take place at the “Esquina San Francisco”, which is at the intersection of the Avenida Universidad and the Avenida Sur 2, directly across the street from the National Assembly. A separate rally will move from Plaza Venezuela to the centre of the capital.
Speaking during a political event in Falcon state, Cabello said:
Our dignity is not for sale. We are calling for two great marches: one from the Plaza Morelos to the San Francisco corner, and another, motorized, from Plaza Venezuela to the Centre of Caracas. Our motorcyclists will be out marching [tomorrow] to promote peace in the country.
In Venezuela, the term motorizado (literally “motorcyclist”) is synonymous with colectivo armado (literally “armed group”). Colectivos are civilian supporters of the Maduro regime who are characterized by the fact that, when they repress protests, they tend to move by motorcycle.
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