We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Updated 6.10pm
VENEZUELA’S LEADER NICOLAS Maduro put the military on alert today against an alleged coup after a renegade police detective claimed responsibility for a grenade attack on the Supreme Court, demanding the embattled president quit.
Four grenades were hurled at the high court from a helicopter and bullets were fired at the interior ministry yesterday, Maduro said, in a potentially dramatic escalation of the violence gripping the oil-rich South American country.
The attack was claimed in a video released online by a man identified by media and the government as 36-year-old Oscar Perez.
Beyond his police work, Perez has acted in a Venezuelan action film, “Suspended Death,” and has posted photographs on social media of himself posing with weapons.
“We are a coalition of military, police and civilian public servants… opposed to this transitional, criminal government,” said Perez, flanked by four masked figures in black, two of them holding rifles.
Maduro has for months been fending off calls for elections to replace him, from opponents who blame him for a desperate economic crisis that has sparked hunger and deadly violence.
He so far retains the public backing of the military high command — a factor that analysts say is decisive if he is to remain in power.
Venezuela has seen three attempted military coups since 1992.
Army on alert
The government named Perez as the author of the attack, saying he had stolen a police helicopter.
No one was hurt in the incidents, Maduro said.
He branded the attack part of an “escalation” by right-wing “coup” plotters.
“I have activated the entire armed forces to defend the peace,” he said in remarks broadcast from the Miraflores presidential palace.
“Sooner or later, we are going to capture that helicopter and those that carried out this terrorist attack.”
Photos circulating on social media showed a helicopter flying over Caracas as explosions were heard.
In the video published by Venezuelan media, Perez called on Maduro to resign and for early elections to be held.
Hoax or real?
Maduro called on the opposition MUD alliance to denounce the attack, but its leaders said there was not yet enough information to comment.
“Some people say it is a hoax, some say it is real, some say that it was police personnel who really are fed up,” opposition legislative speaker Julio Borges told reporters.
“Whatever it is, it is very serious. It all points to one conclusion: that the situation in Venezuela is unsustainable.”
Borges said pro-government military officers had scuffled with opposition lawmakers in congress yesterday and blocked them in the chamber for several hours.
Another senior opposition lawmaker, Freddy Guevara, urged people to take part in anti-government rallies today — the latest in nearly three months of daily streets protests that have left 76 people dead.
US plot alleged
The assault on the Supreme Court came a day after Maduro announced the arrests of five opponents he accused of plotting against him to clear the way for a US invasion.
Earlier yesterday, Maduro warned US President Donald Trump that Venezuela would fight back against such a move.
“If Venezuela were dragged into chaos and violence… we would fight,” Maduro bellowed in a speech to supporters.
If a coup prevented his side from fulfilling his contested reform plans, he said, “we would achieve it by arms”.
“I am not exaggerating when I say it would have involved the arrival of American ships and troops in Venezuelan waters, on Venezuelan soil,” Maduro said.
The opposition regularly accuses Maduro of repressing and jailing opponents.
The international community has called for mediation to solve the crisis after Vatican-backed talks last year broke down.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Venezuela, the socialist utopia all the shinners and aaapbp lefties wanted Ireland to model itself on.
@Jimmy Ireland: you ignore the major economic causes such as the collapse in oil prices.
@Tony Daly: That only proves that socialism is like a heroin habit – it is only sustainable when there is enough stuff to sell.
@Termaz Fx: The free market capitalism running this country is hardly a straight edge lifestyle itself.
@Keelan O’neill: Ireland has many faults, but if you think it’s in the same league as Venezuela, you’re delusional.
@Termaz Fx: Same as Capitalism then!
Maybe the guy in the chopper was that Wally dude who used to be on here. Trying to engineer an excuse for his Venezuelan socialist pals to launch a campaign to crush those who oppose the regime.
Venezuela, another country ruined by Socialism…https://youtu.be/A0ON0xUMawg
@Rowe: the Scandinavian model works best. Not if you’re a tourist though
@Rowe: Another Journal comments section ruined by an idiot with a penchant for YouTube videos.
Another great accomplishment for the wonders of socialism.
@Derek Deveney: Brilliant Derek! Have you tried the stage ?
They go to all the trouble of using a helicopter to drop 2 grenades ( one of which failed to explode) could they not have just thrown it or used a drone? then the president mobilise the entire armed forces to respond, if they happened in Ireland anyone inside the Supreme Court would have slept through it.
An economy too heavily dependent on oil becomes unstable when oil prices plummet.
Incompetent government is also a factor as well as right wing extremism which finds a democratically socialist government intolerable on ideological grounds.
@Tony Daly:
Venezuelan citizens angry and their government rioting on the streets because they are starving and can’t feed their children is not right wing extremism, typical leftist logic, blame something else for its failures.
@Tony Daly: Unbelievable lefty logic, starving people who dont agree are now right wing extremists??
As the old saying goes Tony; Socialism is great until you run out of someone elses money.
@Tony Daly: A five year old given the facts of this case could easily determine that Socialism is at fault. The fact that your cognitive dissonance is able to hide this fact from you is troubling.
I think a five year old would be quicker to determine US intervention in the area rather than socialism per se is at fault.
@Tony Daly: This is down to the usual Kleptocracy that emerges within Socialism. It happened in the Soviet Union, it’s currently happening in China, North Korea, Half of the African continent, Cuba and every other Socialist country. Those in charge always have access to a far better standard of living than their subjects. Odd that when everyone is supposed to be equal.
@Tony Daly:
A ‘democratically socialist government’ that refuses to hold elections? How does that work??
@Jenny mcCarty: Try reading what he actually wrote,dopey!
@Avina Laaf:
Just to hammer home the point, Maduro has just said that if the popular revolt against his government continues, “what we failed to achieve with votes we will do with weapons”.
@Tony Daly: like all fundamentalist ideologies … it’s essential ingredient is violence, the end product is daily terror.
Because the main thrust of socialism, ‘from each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs’, is against human nature, the threat of force will inevitably be needed to sustain it’s implementation.
The strange thing is that everyone either on the ground in various countries around the world, or online debating or cheering on one side or the other in the capitalism vs socialism tug of war is, that regardless of which “ism” holds power, in the words of George Orwell “some are more equal than others” the majority of people are just the workforce that drives the system.
This workforce is keep in line by either in the pure capitalist system by the wealthy controlling all assets and resources, while keeping the majority trapped in personal debt and financial constraints or in the pure socialist system by ideological constraints of position and role within the system, conveniently for those in control they decide who remains in control and anyone who objects is an enemy of the people!
@David Van-Standen: imagine you have hundreds of wealth producing groups all competing for customers. They reduce their prices, streamline their production lines and, innovate their range of offerings so as to get an advantage. All great for the people they serve. That’s capitalism. Now imagine you’ve reduced the field to just one. It doesn’t care about keeping its ‘customers’ happy – why would it need to? It only offers you the same boring Lada style product. It becomes flabby and ineficient but it’s got it’s suckers latched on to so many parts of the economy that its difficult to extract until it bankrupts the whole state. That’s socialism.
@Squarepeg01: instead of playing a game of imagine, why not talk about the reality of the actual current state of capitalism, it’s not hundreds of wealth producing groups all competing for customers, it’s a minority super rich elite who own each and every one of these hundreds and thousands of wealth producing companies giving the illusion of choice and competition, when in fact the entire is the system is rigged so all wealth flows in one direction towards them.
This is not to say that some socialist utopia is not equally flawed, because under that system an ldealogical elite still ultimately control that system for their own benefit, not by amassing personal financial fortunes, but by amassing political control and power.
.
My point is that arguing or debating the pros and cons of each system as if it’s simply a choice between the two is futile, because neither is the answer. A new system is required, not this constant flip flopping and repetition of the past in the hopes of a different outcome
@David Van-Standen: ‘it’s rigged’ is passive. Who is doing the rigging? It can’t happen in a readonably law abiding society without the collusion of politicians. I want power dispersed as much as possible because if it gets concentrated it usually gets abused. At least in capitalism it does get dispersed, which my little story tried to explain. With socialism, you give it all to the state. Who runs the state but politicians? You want to trust these guys with a monopoly on firepower as well? No, thank you. Giving individuals as much choice as possible is the better way and that is what you get with the free market. You get better products and a lower cost of living – if its allowed to operate.
@Squarepeg01: In the past the wealthy have hidden in the shadows indirectly manipulating politicians and legislation favourable to their interests, now days its without ambiguity, corporate lobbyists present politicians with finished legislation, drafted by corporate lawyers for the politicians to write their name in the space left for the purpose, it’s frankly to the point that politicians should wear clothing with sponsorship logos like racing drivers!
Your suggestion is that the Democratic process in a free market economy gives people the opportunity to effect change by voting in different political parties, but how can this be anything but an illusion, when “Mega Corporations ” fund all possible candidates?
There is nothing passive about the rigging of the capitalist system.
@David Van-Standen: thar’s not my suggestion at all. Reduce the govt’s sphere of influence so that corporate lobbyists have no-one to lobby. Keep the govt small. True democracy is giving people as much choice and responsibility in and for their own lives as possible, not this sham that takes place every 5 or so years. Don’t rely on govt to solve your problems!
Maduro and his lies again. No body reporting that it was a protest with a flag hanging from the helicopter with ’350″ on it, which is reference to Article 350 of their constitution ” The people of Venezuela, faithful to their republican tradition, in their fight for independence, peace and freedom, will not know any regime, legislation or authority that violates democratic values, principles and guarantees or impairs human rights.” But Maduro with his typical drama spins it so he can again send in the army to attack his people. As for American interference, he has aligned himself with the Russians and ISIS. These are his friends now and he will resist any interference from the US with their help. And in all this the people continue to suffer and die.
Heard this incident is fake and never actually happen.
@Ultan: maybe you should go there yourself then.. back from backpacking in South America and was talking to a French guy who found himself in Venezuela unaware of what was going on. City centre was abandoned with no shops or anything and obviously shocked left straight away. At the border there were 1000s of people begging and starving for food. He said he was there less than 24hrs and it was like entering he’ll on earth
@Lad: Bit like Dublin on any given weekend,so…
No water balloons?
Ah lads. That headline. Helicopters don’t throw grenades. Unless it was a person who identifies as an attack helicopter?
Maduro looks like he’s wearing a grim reaper outfit in that photo.
The Country is wrecked saw Channel 4 last night on its medical facilities and it is so,sad to see what the sick have to put up with because of a political system.
No doubt the US has its dirty hands in this just like in the 2000′s….. Viva Venezuela!!!
@Johnnathan Biskalero:
So whenever hardline socialism fails (as it inevitably does) it’s still capitalism’s fault?? Perhaps you can point to a single socialist utopia anywhere in the world? Just one will do…
@Avina Laaf:
“Hardline socialist” with two thirds of the economy dominated by the private sector ??
@Avina Laaf:
“Hardline socialist” with two thirds of the economy dominated by the private sector ?? Get out of here
@Che Guevara Lynch:
So still no example of a socialist utopia then ‘Che’?
@Johnnathan Biskalero: Enough of your anti American bullsh!t. This is the fault of Hugo Chavez and his failures in office as president, his family living of the millions he stole from the people while he rots in the ground. Soon Maduro will be ousted by the people and the new government will make a mutually beneficial deal with the US who will continue being the world’s most powerful and important nation whether you like it or not
Another day, another Venezuela article which descends into the usual Two Minutes Hate of ‘Socialism’. Never mind that the key causes of this disaster have been rampant corruption, authoritarianism and economic mismanagement – NONE of which are exclusive to socialist states. Any chance of discussing the issue at hand instead of cracking more Wally-related jokes?
@Harry Whitehead:
You’re right, they’re not exclusive to socialist states, but I can’t think of a single socialist state that doesn’t suffer from all three.
@Avina Laaf: Depends really, are we talking about states which employ socialist policies (like the Nordic states) or states whose constitutions claim they are socialist (the PRC for example)? It’s such an incredibly broad-brush definition.
The other problem with this mentality is that it assumes an ideology is to blame rather than its followers…and that, by extension, nothing like this could ever happen in a capitalist state.
@Harry Whitehead:
Nordic states are basically capitalist states with strong elements of social responsibility – I think most of us would probably agree that’s the way to go, and indeed when given a free vote that’s what most democracies end up with, a good blend of the two.
@Avina Laaf: Not in the UK we don’t. Any time someone suggests the ‘strong elements of social responsibility’ you’ve just outlined, they get shot down with furious accusations of Marxism, Venezuela, etc.
@Harry Whitehead:
NHS?
Social welfare?
Council housing?
Disability payments?
@Avina Laaf: All being privatised or wound up by the back door. More and more PFI, outsourcing and budget cuts. All we’re told is there’s ‘no magic money tree’ – ignoring that much of the welfare state was begun not long after WW2 when our economy was in far worse shape.
Played too much gta 5! Lol. If he did that here. He would be jailed for 2000 years!
@oliverjumelle: he had a tough upbringing, give him a suspended sentence.
Ah yes “socialist Venezuela” with two thirds of their economy in the private sector. Damn commies ruining more economies
It seems everything I’ve posted appeared twice. No idea why
@Che Guevara Lynch: It might have something to do with that echo chamber you’re living in , living in , living in .
Ah yes “socialist” Venezuela, with its 70% private sector. Damn commies ruining more economies !
@Che Guevara Lynch: So the solution to chronic mismanagement, corruption and ineptitude is more government control of the economy?
Maduro exacerbated the problem by forcing businesses to sell products for a loss. What enterprise could possibly survive when they can’t even make ends meet?
The Venezuelan people deserve better.
have your say