By Carlos Camacho


CARACAS -- The Nicolas Maduro regime has deployed Army, National Guard and FAES special police units by the thousands in the two municipalities at each end of Caracas -- Sucre in the East and Libertador in the West -- in what police on the ground are describing as an effort to enforce the coronavirus quarantine until Friday. Critics see it as part of a new escalation in repression as the critics, doctors and journalists pointing out the Maduro Regime's failings are jailed.

The new, massive police and military presence in Petare (Sucre municipality), and Catia and 23 de Enero (Libertador) came only hours after the regime admitting to now having 91 COVID-19 cases, a 44-fold increase in only ten days after admitting to the first two cases.

Interim and National Assembly President Juan Guaido said the actual figure is closer to 200 cases, and ascribed the rapid expansion of the virus to the humanitarian crisis affecting Venezuela when it arrived, saying that more than 70% of the country lacks running water and 76% of health-care personnel don’t even have mouth masks.

CONTAINING PEOPLE, NOT VIRUS

The three areas have been the scene of anti-Maduro protests and violence since the outbreak was first reported, with three men dying in a COVID 19-related shootout in 23 de Enero over the weekend, as black-clad, armed bikers argued with the men about observing quarantine before opening fire. The assailants are linked to “colectivo” pro-Maduro armed gangs, local media reported.

The barrio "23 de Enero" is just blocks from the Miraflores Presidential Palace, an embattled leader who is not recognized by 60 countries, including most of Latin America, the USA and all of Europe who recognize Guaido as interim President.

A journalist was arrested in Catia for reporting on the militarization. Rosali Hernandez, from the “Caraota Digital” news website was arrested by FAES, forced to erase video and pictures of the deployment and then released, after 40 minutes.

The new measures have failed to stop all the protests. In Maracaibo, for example, patients and relatives set up a barricade near one of the city’s main hospitals to protest against Maduro.

Similar developments are being reported all over the country, with citizens flaunting not only quarantine, but the threat of militarization.