Venezuela: Has the destabilisation scenario been launched?
November 29, 2006
At least 130 thousand serviceman, both professional and reservists are engaged in ensuring law and order in the country and polling stations within the framework of «Plan Republica». The Bolivarian government does not rule out the chance that the opposition (its extremist cell) prepares the scenario of destabilisation to cast doubt on election of the President, for whom, as per the recent information, at least 55-60% of electors are ready to vote. The official establishment in their statements declare: the attempts to apply the scenario of «orange revolution» in Venezuela are doomed to failure.
Nevertheless, the electronic and some printed mass media means of the country practically every day print the news, which cannot help but cause concern. So, there passed the information that the political police DISIP found 60 rifles «FAL», one thousand helmets and the same number of batons in the undertaker's office almost in the center of Caracas. Earlier it was informed that the customs authorities detained containers with tents and now they try clarify, for which purposes they were intended. The customs were also interested in the cargo of fixed army food ration that came from the USA.
The Venezuelan authorities treated seriously the publications in press, which said that the Colombian «paramilitares» from the so called «self-defence detachments» penetrated the country and, disguising themselves as street vendors «buhoneros» waited for their «H hour». The pro-government newspaper «Vea» wrote in this connection that the «purpose of those groups of conspirators was to get control over the streets in strategic zones, for example, near the Asamblea Nacional, avenidas Urdaneta and Sucre (very close to the Presidential Palace Miraflores), as well as to establish a wide network of communications, as one of the financed (by the «paramilitares») spheres was street telephone service». The police are conducting checks and have already expelled from the country at least 120 Colombians, who had no documents.
During the pre-election manifestation in the city of San Cristobal (Tachira state) a young man of 22 years old, uniformed as the army lieutenant, tried to slip in the Chavez environment. He gave himself out to be an officer of the presidential secret service. The «lieutenant» was arrested, investigation is in progress.
The campaign of spreading rumours – by telephone, internet and other channels was also intensified. Its peak is expected on December 2-3-4. Its goal is to cause doubt in objectivity of Consejo Nacional Electoral as well as in the forecast victory of Chavez. It is also reported that garment factories received an order for 40 thousand black shirts with the word «Fraude» («Fraud») on them.
The press have also drew attention that the US embassy in Caracas placed and address at their site to their fellow countrymen. It warned about possible disturbances in the country and advised to take special security measures for the elections period, get stocks of water, food and medicine.