Maduro says country facing armed insurgency, lambastes prosecutor's office

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says his country is facing an “armed insurgency,” also criticizing the prosecutor’s office for failure to control the opposition-led violent protests across the Latin American country.

During an army event marking the 80th anniversary of Venezuela’s National Guard on Friday, Maduro praised the country’s military and called on troops to remain alert in dealing with the insurgency amid the ongoing political turmoil.

“We have faced and we are facing an armed insurgency. And the National Bolivarian Armed Forces, general in chief, chief admiral, commanding minister, pre-operational strategist, commander of the four components of the national militia, the National Bolivarian Armed Forces must prepare itself in non-traditional combat methods,” the socialist president said.

“If we had had a prosecutor’s office that took action and acted courageously according to justice, all of these guarimberos (violent opposition demonstrators) and criminals would have been captured, punished and imprisoned and we would have had peace a long time ago,” Maduro noted.

The Venezuelan president also pointed the finger of blame at the United States and Colombia for the deadly unrest gripping the country for months.

He made the comments on the same day that Venezuela’s Constituent Assembly held its first session less than a week after it was elected following a vote marred by deadly violence and claims of fraud.

SS