Post by scumbuster on Jun 7, 2016 8:46:11 GMT -5
CARACAS -- Poor neighborhoods near the Miraflores Presidential Palace were the scene of violent protests Monday, in spite of Venezuela being in a state of exception, challenging the perception that the poorest Venezuelans offer President Nicolas Maduro their automatic solidarity.
Hooded and armed men blocked intersections with public-transport buses and burning tires, in what is, to date, the most violent anti-government protest to take place in 23 de Enero, the parish in downtown Caracas where Hugo Chavez has a mausoleum and museum, formerly the Venezuelan Army Museum.
Now, “el 23” as people call the blocky project-dominated area, is under a virtual state of siege, in armed street protest against food shortages and what they deem as excessive police action.
Government candidates lost in 23 de Enero in the December 6th elections.
Also on Monday, Human Rights Watch and 124 other human rights NGO’s asked the international community in an open letter to pressure Maduro into lifting the state of exception he decreed May 13th.
The state of exception is aimed to “restrict rights”, and makes it hard for human rights NGO’s to continue working and that the Government could “suspend international cooperation” at a moment’s notice, the letter warns.
Venezuela actually has not one but two states of exception in place: one imposed in late 2015, shutting down the border with Colombia and which applies to municipalities at that border, and the nationwide one decreed three weeks ago, one that, among other things, gives to pro-government street-level organizations law enforcement responsibilities, a move which human rights activists say could trigger massive violations.
laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=2413751&CategoryId=10717
Hooded and armed men blocked intersections with public-transport buses and burning tires, in what is, to date, the most violent anti-government protest to take place in 23 de Enero, the parish in downtown Caracas where Hugo Chavez has a mausoleum and museum, formerly the Venezuelan Army Museum.
Now, “el 23” as people call the blocky project-dominated area, is under a virtual state of siege, in armed street protest against food shortages and what they deem as excessive police action.
Government candidates lost in 23 de Enero in the December 6th elections.
Also on Monday, Human Rights Watch and 124 other human rights NGO’s asked the international community in an open letter to pressure Maduro into lifting the state of exception he decreed May 13th.
The state of exception is aimed to “restrict rights”, and makes it hard for human rights NGO’s to continue working and that the Government could “suspend international cooperation” at a moment’s notice, the letter warns.
Venezuela actually has not one but two states of exception in place: one imposed in late 2015, shutting down the border with Colombia and which applies to municipalities at that border, and the nationwide one decreed three weeks ago, one that, among other things, gives to pro-government street-level organizations law enforcement responsibilities, a move which human rights activists say could trigger massive violations.
laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=2413751&CategoryId=10717