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Venezuela Deploys Troops "To Protect National Power Grid" From US "Aggression"
update: Though some parts of Venezuela's power grid have reportedly begun to come back online after the country was plunged into nation-wide darkness beginning Thursday evening, the mass blackout crisis continues, which Caracas has blamed on US-orchestrated saboteurs.
To prevent further "sabotage" Venezuela's Defense Ministry has vowed in an official statement via state TV social media channels to deploy armed forces to protect the national electricity system for the duration of the power outage.
“All the security agencies, civil protection and the nation’s integral defense system are deployed to protect and help the people across the country,” a statement said, via Bloomberg. This as official accusations against Washington for conducting what Maduro previously called a US "electricity war" have become even more strident.
#LIVE | Venezuela's @vladimirpadrino: "This [recent blackout] is an aggression against our country that has hurt every Venezuelan, regardless of color or political allegiance." pic.twitter.com/Y94x9LCuiJ
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) March 8, 2019
The defense ministry previously vowed to put more security patrols on the streets after dark, as already high-crime areas of Caracas are now considered no-go zones as a result of the blackout.
#LIVE | Venezuela's @jorgerpsuv calls Marco Rubio and Mike Pompeo 'psychopaths' for attacking the electrical system for political gain. Asks them to think of the children in hospitals who suffer. pic.twitter.com/NBEewSS64g
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) March 8, 2019
Meanwhile the problems now appear to be compounding as Venezuela's already aging and mismanaged infrastructure continues to collapse in a domino effect of problems precipitated by the electrical grid mass failure.
The AP summarizing the worsening crisis, now hitting many sectors:
Venezuela’s worst power and communications outage on Friday deepened a sense of isolation and decay, endangering hospital patients, forcing schools and businesses to close and cutting people off from their families, friends and the outside world. While electricity returned to some parts of Caracas nearly 24 hours after lights, phones and the internet stopped working, the blackout was another harsh blow to a country paralyzed by economic and political turmoil.
Payments can't be processed, resulting in cash-only transactions, which is problematic considering the bolivar is worth nothing:
Many of the few shops that were open were only accepting cash because without electricity and the internet they couldn’t process debit card payments, a common method of doing transactions in Venezuela since hyperinflation transformed the bolivar into one of the world’s most worthless currencies.
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Venezuela's worst ever power outage in recent history has continued since Thursday, as video and photos continue to come out of the cash and resource strapped country showing entire cities blanketed in darkness.
Stretching into day two of the mass electrical shutdown, 23 out of 24 states remain in darkness, according to the AP, in a prolonged situation now reaching crisis levels given reports that hospitals are struggling to keep back-up generators running and many businesses are forced to remain shuttered.
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