Power restoration has started in certain parts of Venezuela after a massive blackout hit the capital city of Caracas and large areas of the country. The Venezuelan government attributes the blackout to sabotage, a claim that has been strongly denied by the opposition.
The blackout occurred on August 30, with Communications Minister Freddy Nanez reporting “electrical sabotage” at around 4:40 AM local time, affecting nearly the entire national territory. “All 24 states are reporting total or partial power outages,” he stated on the state-run VTV channel.
As the day progressed, power began to return to several cities, including Maracaibo, Valencia, Puerto Ordaz, and Caracas, according to witnesses cited by the news agency Reuters. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello indicated that power would gradually be restored, with the capital being the first area to receive electricity.
Despite this gradual recovery, residents are preparing for the worst. In the western city of Barquisimeto, people have begun to stockpile fuel and food supplies. Local attorney Alexa Rivas shared her experience of avoiding long lines at gas stations by driving to a service station outside the city. “I cannot be without gasoline; I have a three-year-old son, and my mother is 70. I need to have reserves for any emergency,” she noted.
The most recent extensive blackout in Venezuela occurred in March 2019 and lasted for several days. At that time, authorities blamed attacks from saboteurs and opponents of President Nicolas Maduro. Nanez described the current blackout as “a new electrical sabotage,” referencing the costs the country has incurred in rebuilding the national electrical system since 2019.
According to Nanez, the government has implemented “anti-coup protocols” following the blackout, in light of the political turmoil after the contested presidential election on July 28, where both the government and the opposition claim their candidate won.
Arrests of opposition figures have surged significantly over the past week. Former opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado are being investigated for incitement of violence and other crimes. Gonzalez has ignored two subpoenas to testify about a website that allegedly shows over 80 percent of ballots were counted correctly, which the opposition claims indicates a convincing victory for him.
The election and the subsequent unrest have sadly already claimed at least 27 lives, including two military personnel, and nearly 200 people have been injured in connection with the protests.