Venezuelan President Attacked During Public Act
Several people threw blunt objects at President Maduro from the crowd during a public act celebrating the 200th anniversary of the battle of San Felix.
Caracas, April 12, 2017 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was attacked during a public act on Tuesday evening, when several people threw blunt objects at the head of state at a celebration of the battle of San Felix.
The president had travelled to San Felix in the southeastern state of Bolivar state to lead an event commemorating the 200th anniversary of the battle, in which Republican forces delivered a stinging defeat to Spain’s royalist army during Venezuela’s wars of independence.
Videos show the president climbing onto an official moving vehicle and waving at the crowd while leaving the event to rapturous applause from hundreds of supporters. However just a few minutes later, several unidentified objects thought to be garbage and rocks were hurled at the head of state from the crowd, while the attackers screamed “motherfucker”.
The act has been hailed by Venezuela’s opposition as proof of the president’s low approval ratings among the population. Meanwhile, opposition governor for the Justice First party and former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles Radonski made renewed calls for the president to step down on Twitter in response to the attack.
“Maduro, just go already,” he tweeted on Tuesday evening.
“You can no longer fool the people of Bolivar! The whole of Venezuela hates you @NicolasMaduro and your narco-corrupt leadership! #ElectionsNow!” he said in another tweet.
Ya al Pueblo de Bolívar no lo engañas más!Venezuela entera te aborrece @nicolasmaduro y a tú narco corrupta cúpula! #EleccionesYA pic.twitter.com/IMD27839MC
— Henrique Capriles R. (@hcapriles) April 12, 2017
Nonetheless, pro-government activists have drawn attention to the hundreds of supporters cheering Maduro at the end of the event, dismissing those who threw the objects as a handful of trouble-makers.
Five people are reported to have been arrested in relation to the assault.
Readers can see two videos of Maduro leaving the event below.
Así despidió el pueblo de San Félix a nuestro Pdte Obrero @NicolasMaduro @TareckPSUV @dcabellor @VillegasPoljak @VTVcanal8 @GestionNogueraP pic.twitter.com/msezDTYSj4
— PSUV | Caroní (@PSUV_Caroni) April 12, 2017
#Guayana #11A Otro de los vídeos que circula sobre la visita de #Maduro,al estado Bolívar.Hay 5 detenidos por lanzarle objetos contundentes. pic.twitter.com/SODOAXeq17
— Pableysa Ostos (@PableOstos) April 12, 2017