Imminent Threat of Far-Right Instigated Violence Highlighted by Venezuelan Government Prior to Elections

Mexico City, Mexico, July 9, 2024 (our website) - Alarm bells are ringing loud and clear in Venezuela as political leaders raise concerns over impending political violence prior to the upcoming presidential election. This comes after a Colombian paramilitary group claimed they've been approached by Venezuelan far-right figures, with the offer to engage in sabotage and political assassinations on Venezuelan soil.

In a chilling video released on Thursday, a group of masked individuals, calling themselves the "Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra Nevada," announced that members of their Colombian-based group had been approached by Venezuelan far-right groups. They were allegedly asked to carry out "destabilizing acts" within Venezuela, including sabotaging the electric grid, attacking President Nicolás Maduro, and instigating chaos if he's re-elected on July 28. The group, however, denied the requests, stating that they refrain from meddling in other countries' affairs, and promised to reach out to Venezuelan authorities.

The revelations were met with strong condemnation from Venezuelan government officials, including Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino. In a statement, Padrino expressed that it's no surprise to see the far-right opposition resorting to violence once more, recalling the extremist events of recent years where they left a trail of chaos. Padrino further warned that the Venezuelan Armed Forces, responsible for ensuring the security of elections, would respond decisively to any acts aimed at disrupting the democratic process.

Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab announced that his office has launched an investigation into these allegations and has also extended an invitation to Colombian counterparts to collaborate in the investigation. Saab characterized the alleged plot as a neo-Nazi strategy to destabilize the country.

While President Maduro and six other presidential candidates have signed a pledge to respect the election result and ensure a peaceful democratic process, explicitly rejecting violence and destabilization efforts, his main opposition rival, Edmundo González, and another presidential candidate have refused to sign the pledge.

Venezuelan electoral processes have been marked by post-election violence in the past. In the 2013 presidential vote, the US-backed hardline opposition refused to recognize the results and triggered violent street protests in a bid to overturn the outcome. Ranking Chavista Diosdado Cabello has recently warned that US-backed opposition factions are planning to repeat this strategy if the results of this election don't go their way.

The credibility of the "Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra Nevada's" claim has been bolstered by the fact that this isn't the first time Colombian paramilitary groups have been approached to meddle in Venezuelan politics. In the past, there have been reports of Venezuelan opposition figures conspiring with Colombian paramilitaries to stage coups and assassinate leaders.

In related news, Venezuelan lawmaker and head of Maduro's campaign, Jorge Rodríguez, has called for the National Assembly to investigate threats against opposition politicians who are not aligned with the US-backed opposition led by María Corina Machado. Rodríguez shared images of hateful language directed at local opposition politicians and urged international election observation teams to denounce the threats. Among these teams is the US-based Carter Center, which accepted an invitation by the country's electoral authority to monitor the vote.

It's important to note that the ongoing political climate in Venezuela is marked by increasing repression, suppression of dissent, and restrictions on freedom of speech, as detailed in multiple reports and investigations. This systemic suppression of freedom, along with the past instances of election-linked violence, underscores the political risks that come with the 2024 presidential election in Venezuela.

The Venezuelan far-right groups' alleged approach to the Colombian paramilitary group, Autodefensas Conquistadoras de la Sierra Nevada, has bolstered concerns about political violence in Venezuela, particularly before the upcoming presidential election.
The Venezuelan government, through Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino, has warned that the far-right opposition may resort to violence, recalling past chaotic events, and has assured that the Venezuelan Armed Forces will respond decisively to any acts aimed at disrupting the democratic process.
The Venezuelan Attorney General, Tarek William Saab, has launched an investigation into the allegations of a neo-Nazi strategy aimed at destabilizing Venezuela, with the help of Colombian counterparts.
In the realm of general news and crime and justice, the growing evidence of collaboration between Venezuelan opposition factions and Colombian paramilitary groups raises questions about the credibility of Venezuelan electoral processes, given past instances of election-linked violence and ongoing political risks.