Venezuela – Random Guyaidó Launches New Coup Attempt (Updated)

DISPATCHES FROM MOON OF ALABAMA, BY “B”

HELP ENLIGHTEN YOUR FELLOWS. BE SURE TO PASS THIS ON. SURVIVAL DEPENDS ON IT.

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Random Guyaidó who the Trump administration tries to make president of Venezuela just launched another coup attempt against the government.

Guaidó and Leopoldo Lopez: photo ops for the Western disinformation machine.

He announced his intent in a series of tweets around 6:00 am local time (machine translated):

Juan Guaidó @jguaido - 9:58 utc - 30 Apr 2019 People of Venezuela began the end of usurpation. At this moment I meet the main military units of our armed force initiating the final phase of Operation Freedom.

Venezuelan people we go to the street, national armed force to continue the deployment until we consolidate the end of the encroachment that is already irreversible.

The national armed forces have made the right decision, they have the support of the Venezuelan people, with the endorsement of our Constitution, with the guarantee of being on the right side of the story. To deploy the forces to achieve the cessation of usurpation.

People of Venezuela, we need to go out on the streets together, to support the democratic forces and to regain our freedom. Organized and together mocilícense the main military units. People of Caracas, all to La Carlota.

Guaido also posted a short video which shows talking into the camera with some 30 soldiers standing behind him.


Some members of the armed forces released Leopoldo Lopez, an opposition leader under house arrest since he, in 2014, organized violent protests against the government. Guaidó and López went to the La Carlota airforce base near Caracas. Lopez tweeted (machine translated):

Leopoldo López @leopoldolopez - 10:17 utc - 30 Apr 2019Venezuela: The final phase has begun for the cessation of usurpation, Operation Freedom. I have been released by the military to the order of the Constitution and of President Guaidó. I'm at the La Carlota Base. All to mobilize. It's time to conquer freedom. Strength and Faith

López is, like Guaidó, a creature of the U.S. of A. He was also involved in the 2002 coup attempt against then President Chavez.  It is not clear Guaido and Lopez entered the air base. A person from the government said they are only on a highway.

A video posted by some TV station shows a platoon of armed and masked soldiers at a road block.

The Venezuelan Minister for Communication Jorge Rodríguez says the coup will be defeated (machine translated):

Jorge Rodríguez @jorgerpsuv - 10:18 utc - 30 Apr 2019We inform the Venezuelan people that we are currently confronting and deactivating a small group of military traitors who were positioned in the Altamira distributor to promote a coup against the constitution and Peace of the Republic ... 1/2

To this attempt was added the far-right coupe and assassin, who announced his violent agenda for months. We call on the people to stay on high alert, along with the glorious Bolivarian National armed forces, to defeat the coup attempt and preserve the peace. We will win 2/2

The Distibuidor Altamira is a highway exit near the affluent business and living district Altamira in eastern Caracas.

Some Internet access from/to Venezuela is disabled.

The chief of the armed forces of Venezuela chimes in (machine translated):

Vladimir Padrino L. @vladimirpadrino - 10:51 utc - 30 Apr 2019 We reject this coup movement that seeks to fill the country with violence. The pseudo political leaders who have placed themselves at the forefront of this subversive movement, have employed troops and policemen with weapons of war in a public thoroughfare of the city to create chaos and terror

News of the coup comes shortly after Reuters reports that the Blackwater founder Erik Prince is looking for money to set up a mercenary army to attack Venezuela:

In private meetings in the United States and Europe, Prince sketched out a plan to field up to 5,000 soldiers-for-hire on behalf of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, according to two sources with direct knowledge of Prince’s pitch.
...
A person familiar with the administration’s thinking said the White House would not support such a plan.
...
One of Prince’s key arguments, one source said, is that Venezuela needs what Prince calls a “dynamic event” to break the stalemate that has existed since January, ...

No "dynamic event" happened so far.

It has now been confirmed that Guadió and Lopez did not enter the La Carlota air base. It is under control of government forces. Some soldiers are said to have been "deceived".

The metro of Caracas was shut down by the government to prevent mass assemblies.

A short video and a photo shows a few low rank soldiers on a highway bridge with a carton of bananas and a basket of machine gun ammunition. Besides one machine gun they are armed with normal rifles and pistols. They are marked with a blue armlet as Guaidó forces.

Another short video shows Lopez, somewhat frustrated, on a highway bridge with a handful of soldiers and a few journos.

 

Guaidó seems to have neither a base nor large scale military support nor access to significant military equipment. If that does not change this coup attempt is likely to fail within a few hours.

This post will be updated above when new information becomes available.

Posted by b at 07:31 AM | Comments (6)

UPDATE

CNN diverts from the official U.S. government line and Marco Rubio isn't happy about it.

Chavista supporters of President Maduro have surrounded the President's Miraflores Palace to prevent the coup plotters from capturing it.

President Nicolás Maduro tweeted (machine translated):

Nicolás Maduro @NicolasMaduro - 14:07 utc - 30 Apr 2019Nerves of Steel! I have spoken with the commanders of all the REDIs and ZODI of the country, who have expressed their total loyalty to the people, to the Constitution and to the fatherland. I call for maximum popular mobilization to ensure the victory of peace. Venceremos!

Guaidó moved to the Plaza Altamira, a place of regular opposition protests in a wealthy quarter, and speaks to a minor crowd.

There are claims, including by Marco Rubio, that Guaidó supporters have taken the La Carlota Base. (La Carlota's official name is Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda Air Base.) These reports are false. The small gang of Guaidó soldiers and some Guaidó supporters are on a highway bridge near the entrance of the air base. The base is in the hand of government forces. The opposition never entered it.

There are no reliable reports that any additional military besides the 30 or so men on the bridge have switched to Guaidó.

15:00 utc

Someone points out that the soldiers supporting Guaidó carry M4 Colt assault rifles. The official assault rifle of the Venezuelan military is the Kalashnikov AK-103. Back in February there were a number of flights from Florida to Venezuela which delivered weapons to the opposition.

16:00 utc

It is becoming clear that this coup attempt is no more than a stupid PR campaign. Here is a map of the whole 'coup' scene which plays in a small area of the wealthy Altamira district of Caracas.


biggerAt the bottom of the map is the La Calota air base, also known as Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda Base, which Guaido supporters tried to enter. They threw rocks against the guards until tear gas drove them away. Directly north of it runs a highway east to west. The two highway bridges on which Guaidó's soldiers stand are crossing the highway right next to the base. Some 500 meters north of the highway bridges is Plaza Altamira (the upper blue point) where Guaidó spoke to some supporters.

The highway bridges can be seen in this video taken from north of the highway looking south across the bridges towards the airport. In the video some fireworks go off to which nervous Guaidó supporting soldiers on a bridge respond (1 2 vid) by firing a few shots into the air.

The whole coup attempt was run within a 500 x 200 meter corridor with nothing of significance happening outside of it. A dangerous propaganda stunt but so far nothing more than that.

This slight modification of the Guaidó/López picture above seems appropriate. These dudes are mere comic figures, wannabe fantasy heroes.


biggerThe conclusion below written earlier today still stands.

17:00 utc

Video of some six alleged coup soldiers who loudly claim their innocence (machine translated):

 

Coup soldiers surrender in #Venezuela and claim they were brought to the uprising under deception by military deserters followers of John Guaidó

Quotes from a speech by Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino (machine translated):

A small group, tiny military and police officers decided to kidnap SOME GNB vehicles, armaments and ammunition. They broke in this morning and they bet on the Altamira dealer
Weapons of War, rifles and machine guns were placed, betting on the roads through which the citizens move. It is a coup attempt, no doubt, of a mediocre magnitude
80 percent of the troops who came to this call were deceived. He sought to bring chaos and death to a group of country soldiers who were deceived into committing a terrorist act
It is a coup attempt of a very small and negligible magnitude. We have given immediate response: all the commands of the #FANB, of the components, of the tactical units, operative, of the Redis, Zodi, of the militia were immediately reported
80 percent of those who were taken there, deceived, left on their own and reported with their natural controls.
The majority of the military with weapons have left the place and have gone to the Plaza Altamira, where they are reediting everything that we live in the year 2002
We will not allow any aggression against the law, institutionality, democracy and the Constitution. The Republic's weapons are to defend their sovereignty and independence.
Responsiblity for any bloodshed and violence to the fascist and anti-patriotic leadership, which does not deserve respect from Venezuelans or FANB, because they try to use military for their own purposes.
"Miraflores cannot be reached by violence. Who arrives in Miraflores for violence, will be overthrown by violence, "says Vladimir Godfather Lopez, Minister of Defense of #Venezuela

(FANB, Redis, Zodis are abbreviations for the Venezuelan army and other security forces.)

---

Guaidó seems to have neither a base nor large scale military support nor access to significant military equipment. If that does not change this coup attempt is likely to fail within a few hours.

(This post will be updated above when new information becomes available.)

Posted by b on April 30, 2019 at 07:31 AM | Permalink

SELECT COMMENTS

Or it is just the right excuse for some intervention. Mr g is known for staging such events. Truth is the US bigmouths seem to have cold feet about it, so also maybe a last desperate push for the circus

Posted by: Waste | Apr 30, 2019 8:21:11 AM | 1

How is the U.S. MSM going to spin this one?

Either Guaido takes over, gets arrested, or he was obviously lying about where he was and the support he had. The MSM handlers will figure something out and tell them what to say.

There is always Gilda's classic line ... 'Never mind'.

Posted by: Christian J Chuba | Apr 30, 2019 8:53:18 AM | 2

We may have jumped the shark in to the realm of the monthly coup attempt. Mostly a media event to see if they can get a buy-in. Didn't work? Not to worry we will try again next month!
Can you imagine a force of 5000 or so mercs staging a combat assault on a large and reasonably well armed country?
If it didn't involve so much killing and dying it would be amusing to watch the "private army" get pinned down and butchered.
Seriously without air cover it would turn into bloody squalor. Meanwhile Russia and perhaps China are likely providing signal intel fo the Venezuelan military and keeping a close eye on what the gringoes are up to. Much like the RAND document on destabilizing other nations it will probably be a slow bleed by sabotage and scarcity.

Posted by: Chevrus | Apr 30, 2019 8:53:36 AM | 3

I can't see either Guaido, the US, or any other of the coup fomentors ceasing their attempts until they've achieved some kind of result. Guaido running around, and I can see the rationale behind allowing him to do so, is an ongoing problem. Too much is at stake for the powerful interests to let go of any of their global plans. People everywhere do not really matter all that much.

Posted by: Geoff | Apr 30, 2019 8:59:52 AM | 4

Looks like the Neo-Cons just replied with their unavoidable escalation, this smacks of desperation. I wouldn't be surprised if Abrams told Random Guy to announce a coup and even if it fails the US will protect him or use it as an excuse to invade. Once this coup fails Maduro should stick both of these traitors in a "real" prison and see if that loosens their tongues a bit, neither of these fools have experienced real hardship so just taking away their sliver spoons and private aircraft would convince them to rat out their fellow traitors

Posted by: Kadath | Apr 30, 2019 9:07:34 AM | 5

As shown in this article, the New York Times has been highly biased in its coverage of the situation in Venezuela:

https://viableopposition.blogspot.com/2019/04/the-new-york-times-its-anti-maduro-bias.html

While everyone is aware of the existence of fake news, we are less aware of how editorial conflicts of interest can be used to sway public opinion, particularly in the case of a highly influential and widely read newspaper like the New York Times.

Posted by: Sally Snyder | Apr 30, 2019 9:11:47 AM | 6

Harvard Law School
Barack Obama, an alumni of Harvard Law School, was the United States President who ordered the destruction of Africa’s richest, most literate and developed country, Libya, and reduced that country to rubble and a state of lawlessness. Thousands died.The sovereign wealth fund of the oil rich country has disappeared without trace. Libya’s premier medical facilities that were the envy of it’s continent and it’s neighbours in the Middle East have been destroyed, precisely at the time that it’s citizens required them. Many of the doctors, nurses and ancillary staff, as highly trained as their counterparts in Europe, have also disappeared without trace, many presumed drowned in the waters of the Mediterranean trying to flee to save their lives. Libya is now the poorest state in Africa. The leader who had united it and raised the infrastructural standards to be on a par with the first world, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, never had his day in a court of any description, he was beaten, tortured and sodomised with a knife, before being murdered on the blood soaked streets by a mob.

We have to wonder what it is that they are teaching at the Harvard Law School? In the 1980’s the tiny countries of Central America, Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua suffered from their own brutal civil wars. Extreme, right wing governments and militias were either trying to hold onto power or to seize it for themselves from the impoverished indigenous citizenries who sought democracy and guarantees of their fundamental civil and human rights. The United States sent in Elliot Abrams, now to be found lurking in the jungles of Venezuela, to support the fascistic regimes in the brutal battle against their own civilians. Mr Abrams was another product of the esteemed Harvard Law School. By the end of his time there, hundreds of thousands of some of the world’s poorest people and been murdered, their bodies tossed into mass graves if they were lucky. There was no rule of law, in spite of the fact that there were constitutions and courts, judges and the concept of jurisprudence.

The current Secretary of State of the United States, Mr Mike Pompeo, recently addressed an audience of American students and told them that his former department, the Central Intelligence Agency, of which he was the Director from 2017 until 2018, routinely “lied, cheated and stole” as and when it suited or the occasion demanded. Mike Pompeo is another American official who studied at and graduated from the Harvard Law School.

This Massachusetts institution has had scores of it’s students graduate and pass through, onwards and upwards into positions of authority in the halls of power. It is difficult to see what ethical foundations were laid down in those formative years of studying the law in the seminars of that Cambridge campus. Three alumni of Harvard Law School who have recently served and continue to serve in some of the highest offices of the United States, have done irreparable damage to a number of countries and have done so by breaking every international law that existed to protect them. They did this unapologetically, in order, as Secretary of State Pompeo admitted in a rare moment of candour, to “cheat and steal” from defenceless nation states and their helpless populations.

Perhaps Harvard Law School is not the best place to send one’s kids to learn about ethics, democracy and the rule of law.

Posted by: Steve Keith | Apr 30, 2019 9:26:21 AM | 7

@ #3, for a second I thought you were describing the Bay of Pigs fiasco.

Posted by: EricT | Apr 30, 2019 9:27:59 AM | 8

IF this coup succeeds, Moduro had it coming. He let the wannabe gangster roam free - bad move!

Seems the grandchildren of the plantation owners will get their plantations back after all.

Posted by: Zico | Apr 30, 2019 9:43:41 AM | 9

Couldn't help noticing that Guyaido looks like a frightened little bunny which just soiled its underwear or is about to. Lopez seems to be in a similar state of near-panic. I don't know why the govt doesn't just disappear them. They could be stuffed and embalmed and put on display in the National Museum as a reminder that abject stupidity isn't a virtue in Venezuela.

Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Apr 30, 2019 9:44:30 AM | 10

THE VIDEO IS A HOAX!

I think the video was shot in front of a blue screen. Look at the shadows, there is only one ver bright light source. The solders are illuminated from the rear left. Guaido is illuminated from the front and right. Yet the solders only draw one very sharp shadow. Also note that we do not see Guaido's feet.

https://twitter.com/jguaido/status/1123161692219686912

Posted by: Petri Krohn | Apr 30, 2019 9:54:25 AM | 11

@ Steve Keith | Apr 30, 2019 9:26:21 AM | 7

Nice précis. Perhaps the school should be renamed The School of International Atrocities.

Posted by: AntiSpin | Apr 30, 2019 9:55:18 AM | 12

These soldiers stand no chance. They look like lower ranking conscripts paid to stage this stunt. It's gonna get messy.

Posted by: Zico | Apr 30, 2019 9:56:00 AM | 13

From Breno Altman's (a Brazilian leftist intellectual with direct contacts in Venezuela) Facebook (my personal translation from Brazilian Portuguese):

VENEZUELA: LATEST NEWS  Maduro's government is quickly controlling and neutralizing a small group of 'coupist" officers (golpista) uprising which was propped up by the rightist opposition and the White House.

The antidemocratic epicenter lies in the Altamira region, eastern Caracas. The rest of the capital stays in relative tranquility; there's no information about any support from other army headquarters.

The president and his main advisors, through multiple ways, convoke the people to immediately gather in front of the Miraflores palace, to answer in a massive and pacific way to the coupists.

The Defense Minister, alongside the high command of the FANB, has already publicly reiterated its support to the sovereign government (i.e. Maduro -- N.T.) and assured that the troops remain united with the Bolivarian Revolution.

Juan Guaidó's attempt, with his international partners, reveal the riles of a process initiated at 23 January (2019 -- N.T.), when he self-proclaimed "interin president".

Losing popularity and isolating himself from other opposition currents, the candidate to usurper plays his last hand in these hours, trying to stimulate a new coupist offensive before his veil falls and he exits stage.

The conjuncture is still tense and dangerous. Once more, however, the Bolivarian Revolution reveals its unity, wisdom and strength to defeat the enemies of the people.

It was published circa 10 a.m., Brazilian time.

About the Author
"b" is the nom de guerre of MoA's founding editor and chief correspondent.

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