Venezuela defeats new power sabotage in hours

This article is reproduced from Liberation News with thanks.

On 23 July at 1.30am, engineers and electrical workers restored Venezuela’s power after a massive cyber sabotage at 4.45pm the day before shut down 17 of 23 states in a blackout.

This is the third major attempt by the United States and internal counterrevolutionaries to try to destroy the power system, the first being 7-12 March and the second from 23 March to 4 April. There have been hundreds of terrorist attacks on the power lines.

This quick recovery by the energy sector – engineers, technicians and soldiers deployed to help in the efforts – is testament to the revolutionary people’s capacity to resist, and a higher organisational level with each new challenge.

Each attack has been met with determined resistance and the Maduro government’s countermeasures to minimise damage.

Engineer Rafael Argotti, whom Liberation News interviewed during the first blackout on 9 March, explained today what is behind the power sabotage.

“This blackout was simply another electromagnetic attack. From January to July of this year, we have detected more than 76 incursions of US planes specialised in electromagnetic work. The sabotage took place while the Bolivarian revolution is advancing in the international arena. This weekend we held the gathering of 120 countries of the Non-Aligned Movement, which affirmed its recognition of Nicolás Maduro as president of Venezuela.”

President Maduro currently presides over the Non-Aligned Movement.

Argotti, a member of the national constituent assembly, also noted the hundreds of international delegates of leftist parties and organisations preparing to attend the 25th session of the São Paulo forum this week in Caracas. In addition to Latin American and Caribbean delegates, China, Russia, Iran and 22 African countries will participate.

He said: “Fortunately, with our security protocol, we have progressively been able to defend the Guri hydroelectric plant. That is why we were able to respond positively with a recovery of seven hours. Now, 80 percent of those states have electricity and Caracas’s energy is 100 percent recovered.”

Argotti linked the attacks to the US air incursions. “The attacks are electromagnetic waves that disrupt the electrical transmission. We believe planes flying close are responsible.”

US military incursions have intensified in 2019. In June, Venezuela’s military announced that EP-3E and RC-135 US aircraft have flown along the country’s coast numerous times in intelligence missions.

On 19 July, an EP-3E radio-electronic spy plane flew into Venezuela’s flight information region near Maiquetía, “in open provocation of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela”, according to the military.

Although the US government claimed its plane was threatened, Venezuela’s video shows that the plane was escorted out of the zone by a Venezuelan SU-30 jet after it was detected.

The US government’s aim has been to create extreme hardship through denial of electricity, water, food, transport and all means of civilian necessities for its regime-change plots. This conspiracy is not fiction. US officials openly boast of their intent. Secretary of state Mike Pompeo infamously tweeted during the first sabotage: “No food, no water, no power. Next, no Maduro.”

This summer afternoon in the streets of Caracas, just hours after the blackout was defeated, children played soccer, skated and made up games while adults chatted with neighbours, shopped for dinner or relaxed in a park. This is their answer to Washington’s diabolical plots, which have failed in their aim to prompt violent unrest and chaos.