Despite strong opposition to Venezuela’s incumbent President Nicolas Maduro, the strike on Friday was subtle than usual. The Venezuelan government gave an ultimatum to close down businesses who will participate in the protest.
12-hour ‘shutdown’
The Democratic Unity Coalition, Venezuela’s government opposition called for a 12-hour shutdown. A political tactic to pressure the administration to pursue the recall referendum to veto their most hated socialist leader.
To ensure businesses will stay open, the government assigned intelligence agents to inspect businesses. They also dispatched the agents outside Polar, the country’s major food and beer private company to make sure it will operate normally.
However, business owners, facing threats if they backed up the strike, allowed their employees to freely decide whether to come in for work or not.
The second-in-command of the presiding Socialist Party, Diosdado Cabello said, that they are after big companies, who will echo “a coup d’etat like in 2002”. Cabello released his statement pertaining to the short-lived coup of the former President Hugo Chavez in 2002.
People support the strike but…
In San Cristobal, the western city of Venezuela serves as one of the focal points where hostility against President Maduro is the strongest. An insurance agent, Adolfo Diaz, aged 38, who works in the city, summarized Venezuelan’s sentiment in saying; “The strike is a good pressure tactic, but if I don’t work, I don’t eat”. He said while trying to get to work despite the scarcity of buses available for commuters.
Furthermore, the transport system in San Cristobal was deeply affected by the previous demonstration. According to witnesses, protesters and police collided in a violent encounter. Also, the government fined two businesses that decided to remain closed during the protest on Friday.
Meanwhile, in Caracas, Venezuela’s main capital, traffic was lighter compared to the Wednesday’s protest. Tens of thousands anti-Maduro protesters attended the previous protests where they rallied in the main highway of Caracas. But Friday’s protest was ‘patchy’, streets were almost empty for a weekday since most students choose to stay at home.
Correspondingly, stores of commodities like bakeries and pharmacies were open. Consumers lined up to buy basic goods such as bread and flour, of which the country lacks sufficient supplies since the start of the economic crisis.
One unemployed resident, who was standing in a bakery line in Eastern Caracas, Eduardo Martinez aged 51, stated that he supports the opposition but does not want to participate in the shutdown.
Practical reasons
Most of the businesses that stayed open opt to choose the practical decision.
This is true in the situation of Alfonso Brito, aged 54 and a Café Owner. For the businessman, he could not afford to lose another day’s profits from his café. According to the shop owner, only a handful of people were able to buy from his shop. He also added that he already lost so much during the Wednesday’s protest, to close his shop again.
Businesses are democratic
In Venezuela’s second largest city, Maracaibo, streets were practically empty. Leydy Nava, an associate in a real estate company said, “We have to support the Democratic Unity … in my company we obeyed the strike”.
Carlos Larrazabal, the Vice-President of Venezuela’s largest umbrella company group, Fedecamaras, said in a Reuter’s interview that their companies remained open. They allowed their employees to decide whether they will come to work, displaying the democratic essence of their company. However, tension can be seen outside the company where government stationed troops to inspect and observe.
Opposition leaders are planning another protest next week in the Miraflores presidential palace. They pledged to carry out a political trial for Maduro in the National Assembly.
If Maduro lost to the recall referendum, it will prompt another presidential election, threatening to end the 17 years of socialist rule.
Starvation in an oil-rich country
Venezuela’s boasts of the largest oil reserves worldwide. Nonetheless, it is suffering three years of recession. Residents endure skipping meals as inflation rates are at its highest.
President Maduro, aged 53, defends himself by blaming the US-led “economic war” and the decreasing value of oil prices globally.
Opposition leaders accused the OPEC nation’s president of staging a “coup”, controlling the government institutions and arresting people who are planning to push the referendum.
On the other hand, Maduro said that his opponents are trying to illegally remove him from power.
The Wednesday demonstration showed Venezuela’s unified effort to oust the incumbent president. Local authorities confirmed a total of 97 protesters arrested, 82 people injured including 26 policemen. Also, seven policemen are facing human rights violation.
Miguel Acevedo, a tax official, said that “The only thing the opposition wants is to ruin the country”. He interpreted the erratic display of support on Friday’s demonstration as “the country said no to the opposition.”
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