Maduro calls for calm after new national blackout that he attributes to a “criminal attack”

President Nicolas Maduro He asked Venezuelans to remain calm after a blackout that affected a large part of the country since Friday at 4:50 a.m.describing the incident as a new “criminal attack” against the national electricity system.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro called for “calm” and “nerves of steel” following the nationwide blackout that began on Friday. In a message on Telegram, Maduro stressed that he is in charge of the situation and that the attack is a new effort by “fascists” to harm the country. “As always, I am with the people and I am at the forefront of the situation,” the president said.

What Venezuelan authorities say about the blackout

Communications Minister Freddy Ñáñez linked the blackout to an alleged “coup plan” led by the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD) and its leaders, Edmundo González Urrutia and María Corina Machado. Ñáñez requested that Machado’s political disqualification be maintained indefinitely.

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello promised that there will be “justice” for the attack on the electrical system. This event occurs at a time of high political tensionfollowing the recent proclamation of Maduro as the winner of the presidential elections, whose legitimacy is questioned by the PUD and several countries.

Despite a “special patrol and surveillance plan” implemented by the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) since late June, power outages persist in the country. Maduro had previously denounced that “far-right fascist groups” were preparing an “electrical war” to harm Venezuela.

Venezuela has faced recurring problems with electricity supply, with blackouts sometimes lasting up to a week. The last major national blackout occurred in March 2019, when the country was without power for four days. On that occasion, the Government accused the opposition and foreign countries, such as the United States and Colombia, of being behind the sabotage.