MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
In a pre-recorded message López calls for protests against Maduro to continue
López faces charges of promoting unrest that has killed at least five people Imprisoned protest leader Leopoldo Lopez urged supporters to keep fighting for the departure of Venezuela's populist government, even as he was due in court accused of fomenting unrest that has killed at least five people.
Lopez, a 42-year-old Harvard-educated economist, surrendered to troops on Tuesday after spearheading three weeks of often rowdy demonstrations around Venezuela that have turned into the biggest challenge yet to President Nicolas Maduro.
“Today more than ever, our cause has to be the exit of this government” Lopez said, sitting next to his wife in a pre-recorded video to be released if he was arrested.
“The exit from this disaster, the exit of this group of people who have kidnapped the future of Venezuelans is in your hands. Let's fight. I will be doing so”.
The protests and the violence around them have left three people shot dead, another run over by a car during a demonstration, a beauty queen shot in the head and scores of arrests and injuries.
Many Caracas residents banged pots and pans overnight in a traditional form of protest, while some protesters burned tires and clashed with police in the capital and some other parts of the nation
The western Andean cities of Tachira and Merida have been especially volatile.
The protesters are calling for Maduro's resignation over issues ranging from inflation and violent crime to corruption and product shortages.
Maduro describes Lopez as a Fascist who with others and in league with the US government are seeking a coup against him and the Bolivarian revolution.
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Read all commentsWhile everybody talks about the possibility of a civil war I don’t understand who will the Army and PSUV militias fight apart from students and middle class sectors. It sounds like a massive crackdown incoming.
Feb 20th, 2014 - 01:17 am 0Is there actual sectors of the Venezuelan army who are still independent?
1) where is Lopez? Rumours and some news wires say he is being kept in a military compound. Why?
Feb 20th, 2014 - 02:05 am 0I speculate that if they put him a regular prison the prisoners would set him free. Not joking. The prisoners run the prisons. The guards merely control the perimeter.
2) yes @1 re: the army and not the national guard. Separate entity. I will post tomorrow on this. Long day on social media circumventing gov. Blocks in venezuela. .. back soon
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Feb 20th, 2014 - 02:27 am 0Look forward to that too. Please post some information of what Colombia's position or what role do you think it will adopt in the event of a Venezuelan civil war.
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