The Guardian: 'A city of shadows': fear as Venezuela's crippling blackout enters day four
Power outage – that Maduro blames on foreign saboteurs – could have dramatic implications for country’s political future
When night falls on Venezuela’s ghostly capital, an unnerving hush grips the streets of this once-bustling South American metropolis.
“You feel a profound silence all around you,” said Alejandro Guzmán, a 26-year-old lawyer and one of millions of Venezuelans left in the dark after their country was hit by an unprecedented blackout some believe could have dramatic implications for its political future. “It’s like a city of shadows.”
Like many Venezuelans, Guzmán has spent most of the last three days without electricity after a crippling outage – that Nicolás Maduro’s beleaguered administration is blaming on foreign saboteurs – struck at about 5pm Thursday afternoon plunging virtually the entire country into the gloom.
“I feel frustrated and I feel angry about what is happening – but we saw this coming,” Guzmán said on Sunday lunchtime, shortly after the lights came back on in his neighbourhood of eastern Caracas.
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WNU Editor: For the past few years I have been extremely lucky to have a good contact in Caracas who has been updating me on what is happening in Venezuela. Unfortunately .... I have not heard from him for the past two weeks, which is a first. I am sure he is OK, but this cut-off in communications is telling me that even where he lives (which is in the upper-class part of Caracas) is no longer immune to the disaster that is befalling all of Venezuela. And here is an easy prediction. If this black-out continues for a few more days .... the humanitarian crisis that it will spawn and the migration crisis that it will produce will be unprecedented for this part of the Americas. For the past few years I have written in this blog that Venezuela is still far away from becoming a disaster. I cannot say that anymore. Short of a civil war and/or foreign invasion led by the U.S., this is as bad as it can get.
More News On The Crises In Venezuela
Nerves fray, tempers flare as Venezuela blackout hits fourth day -- Reuters
Electric power returns to part, but not all, of Venezuela -- FOX News/AP
Misery grows for Venezuelans hit by power cuts -- ABC News
Rotting food and endangered patients: How Venezuelans are faring during continuing nationwide power outages -- The Washington Post
Venezuela: Juan Guaido wants state of emergency amid power outage -- DW
Juan Guaido: Nicolas Maduro has 'no diagnosis' for deadly Venezuela blackout crisis -- Washington Examiner
Venezuela military members in contact with opposition, says US National Security Advisor John Bolton -- AFP
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro 'fears' order to arrest interim President Juan Guaido 'would not be obeyed': White House national security adviser John Bolton -- ABC News
