Venezuela President Nicolas
Maduro, facing the greatest challenge to
his rule since taking over after
the death of Hugo Chavez, lashes out
at the U.S. for fomenting anti-government violence, and CNN, for
setting the
stage for a U.S. invasion with its coverage.
President Maduro Accuses
CNN of Preparing Ground for 'Gringo' Invasion (El Universal, Venezuela)
"President Maduro accused international
broadcaster CNN of waging a '24 hour war of programming' ... 'Enough of war
propaganda. We do not accept war propaganda against Venezuela. If CNN doesn't correct itself ... then out
of Venezuela! Out!' He accused the demonstrators of 'forcibly removing uniforms'
from Metro workers and leaving them unclothed. 'Pay attention to what they do
with these uniforms. They [the opposition] suddenly appear on CNN to say that whoever attacked the
workers - it wasn't them. ... The objective of CNN is for the civil war to justify gringo military intervention in
Venezuela."
Opposition leader Henrique Capriles with supporters in 2013. Capriles, who still leads the Venezuela opposition, has what looks like a nascent insurgency on his hands. Accused of the government of being a tool of the CIA, Capriles has asked opposition protesters to refrain from violence, which he said would play into the government's hands.
Accusing
international broadcaster CNN of
waging a "24 hour war" of programming and wanting to "show the
world that there is a civil war in Venezuela," President Nicolas Maduro says he has ordered Minister of Communications and
Information Delcy Rodriguez to "notify CNN and begin the administrative process
of expelling them from Venezuela if it fails to rectify its story. ... CNN out of Venezuela! ... Enough of war
propaganda. We do not accept war propaganda against Venezuela. If CNN doesn't correct itself ... then out
of Venezuela! Out!"
At
the Miraflores palace, in the company of injured metro workers and where he
displayed Metrobuses that were damaged, Mature
insisted to TV and radio reporters that the culprits were the protesters.
"According to CNN, it was you
who did this," he told the workers as he displayed broken glass from a Metrobus.
If
the presidential order goes through and CNN
is excised from the country's cable programming, it would be the second
broadcaster that cable operators have been forced to remove. Last week, the
government ordered cable companies to remove Colombian news channel NTN24, which Maduro
accused of "generating anxiety."
President Maduro, a former bus driver himself, holds broken
glass aboard a damaged Metrobus before meeting with Metro
workers supposedly
affected by violent protests, Feb 20.
To
ensure that CNN doesn't broadcast "the
work of fascism," referring to attacks on subway employees or their equipment,
the President warned, "one by one the fascists who attacked these workers
will be captured ... Who ordered Venezuela to be burned and its government
toppled?," he asked the audience, rhetorically cross-examining [opposition
leader] LeopoldoLópez, coordinator
of Voluntad Popular [the People's Will].
Posted By Worldmeets.US
"Where
is LeopoldoLópez? he
asked, responding to himself, "in prison, as I
said he would be, thanks to the judiciary and public prosecutor." While referring
to Miranda Governor Enrique Capriles, Maduro accused the National Assembly President Diosdado
Cabello of generating violence to overthrow him, and saying: What's left of his (Capriles') brain is burned
out."
He
accused the demonstrators of "forcibly removing uniforms" from Metro
workers and leaving them unclothed. "Pay attention to what they do with
these uniforms. They [the opposition] suddenly appear on CNN to say that whoever attacked the workers - it wasn't them. ... The
objective of CNN is for the civil war
to justify gringo military intervention in Venezuela."
He
accused a group of motorcyclists, some of who where disguised as Hugo Chavez and
he called "little fascists," of shooting at apartments in Altamira and
attempting to cause damage to the neighborhood. He said that thanks to the presence
of the National Guard and police, "the left their bikes and ran away."
It has been reported that they seized, "150 motorcycles from the fascists
and have identified their owners, in addition to some pot." Earlier Maduro said that the motorcycles would be put up for "public
auction."
Maduro also said that after this episode, he would
assemble a National Anti-Shock Command, but wouldn't say who would comprise it.
"Let's just say that this time, [Assembly President] Diosdado
will be part of it."
He
announced a women's march for Saturday, and reiterated that the revolution depends
on them. In Caracas, buses departs at 9:00 am from Morelos Plaza on Mexico Avenue,
through Ezequiel Zamora Park to El Calvario Park in city center
He
said that the people paying for this violence are young people, as well as
artists and journalists."
