A new massive blackout was recorded this weekend in Venezuela after a nationwide interruption of electricity service this Friday, which was slowly restored in main cities as Caracas. However, a new relapse of the supply occurred on Saturday night, affecting 16 states of the country - more than half.
Brazil Mines and Energy Minister Bento Albuquerque said that Venezuela had not complied with its contract to supply the northern state of Roraima with energy since March 7. Roraima is a neighbor of Venezuela and an international bridge has become an escape way for thousands of Venezuelans fleeing from the Nicola Maduro regime and the lack of food and medicines.
Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaidó has called on his supporters to take to the streets in protest at nationwide power cuts. He also told followers to prepare for a final push to try to overthrow President Nicolás Maduro.
Venezuela blamed an attack on its electric system for a blackout on Monday, the second to hit the OPEC nation this month, that shuttered businesses, plunged the main airport into darkness and left commuters stranded in the capital. Power went out in much of Caracas and nearly a dozen states in the early afternoon, stirring memories of a week-long outage earlier in the month that was the most severe in the country's history.
On Sunday, the Venezuelan President, Nicolás Maduro, asked his executive cabinet to make his charges available to carry out a “restructuring”. This was confirmed by the vice president of the oil country, Delcy Rodríguez through her Twitter account, where she noted that “the President has requested the entire Executive Cabinet to put their charges to order for the purposes of a thorough restructuring of the methods and Bolivarian government operation to shield the Homeland from any threat!”
A major advisor to energy producing nations has suggested that the continued fallout from Venezuela could present a challenge for global oil markets. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned that crude supplies from Venezuela are at risk of falling sharply in the midst of an electricity crisis which has paralyzed the country recently.
Venezuela ordered American diplomats to leave the country within 72 hours on Tuesday after President Nicolas Maduro accused US counterpart Donald Trump of cyber sabotage that plunged the OPEC nation into its worst blackout on record.
Luis Carlos Diaz, a Venezuelan journalist who is an expert in networks and critical of the Nicolás Maduro regime, was arrested on Monday, without capture order, by the Bolivarian Intelligence Service (SEBIN) after leaving his radio program, denounced his wife and colleague Naky Soto. On Tuesday, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, referred to the arrest and asked the authorities for “urgent access” for her technical mission in Venezuela to Díaz.
Venezuelans woke up to a fourth day of an unprecedented nationwide blackout on Sunday, leaving residents concerned about the impacts of the lack of electricity on the South American country's health, communications and transport systems.
Most of Venezuela has been hit by a continuing electricity blackout that began on Thursday afternoon. The power cut plunged the capital Caracas into almost complete darkness during rush hour and has extended to the vast majority of the country.