MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Blackout leaves Maduro speechless; blame falls on the fascist opposition'

Pot-banging protests against the government began in earnest with some calling out for Maduro to resign

A huge power outage that darkened Venezuela's capital and parts of the country was a conspiracy to sabotage the Socialist government, according to Venezuela's President Nicholas Maduro. The blackout came five days ahead of Sunday's municipal elections.

 Maduro said that the blackout was designed to interrupt his televised address on a plan to reduce inflation. He quickly took to Twitter to say that he was monitoring the alleged act of sabotage.

Pot-banging protests against the government began in earnest with some calling out for Maduro to resign. When the power was restored the president ordered the armed forces to prevent further attacks he claims were being planned by his opponents.

Despite frequent power outages, Maduro said that the blackout was designed to create public discontent against the government in the run up to the December 8 national municipal elections.

Maduro and his government did not present evidence of the charges against his political opponents but had warned days before that they might try to attack the electrical grid.

“These sectors of fascism are getting desperate, because they know a defeat is coming,” Maduro said. National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello also said on Twitter that the opposition was to blame.

“I have no doubt that today's electricity sabotage is part of the right-wing's plan,” he wrote.

The power outage reportedly originated in central Venezuela, the place where another blackout in September darkened 70% of the country.