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

Record ID: 905391

  • Title: Maduro says country facing 'armed insurgency,' thrashes prosecutor's office
  • Date: 5th August 2017
  • Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF THE EXTERIOR OF THE PUBLIC MINISTRY WITH NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS STANDING BY VARIOUS OF ORTEGA MEETING WITH PROSECUTORS ORTEGA LEAVING VENEZUELA'S SUPREME COURT CARACAS, VENEZUELA (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ORTEGA ADDRESSING NEWS CONFERENCE VENEZUELA'S CHIEF PROSECUTOR LUIS ORTEGA DIAZ, SPEAKING (NOT A SOUNDBITE) "People of Venezuela, faced with the severe persecutions, before the Dante-like abuses, faced with the irregularities propelled from the political power, I want you to know that I am with you, people of Venezuela." ORTEGA AFTER GIVING SPEECH, PEOPLE CLAPPING
  • Embargoed: 19th August 2017 02:20
  • Keywords: Ortega prosecutor Venezuela legislative assembly
  • Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
  • City: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
  • Country: Venezuela
  • Topics: Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA0026SVP4XZ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Friday (August 4) said his armed forces should prepare in "non-traditional combat methods" as they confront an "armed insurgency" as the country reels in political turmoil.
    Demonstrators have been clashing with security forces for four months, often building barricades and lobbing rocks at security forces. At least 125 people have been killed in the unrest.
    Speaking at a military event to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Venezuela's National Guard, Maduro also lambasted Venezuela's prosecutor's office, though he did not mention chief prosecutor Luisa Ortega by name.
    Maduro said that if the prosecutor's office had, "acted courageously according to justice, all of these guarimberos (referring to violent opposition demonstrators) and criminals would have been captured, punished and imprisoned a long time ago."
    Ortega, Venezuela's lead prosecutor and main challenger to Maduro from within the ruling socialist movement, has said in the past she is expecting to be fired after alleging human rights abuses and erosion of democracy under the country's leftist president during the four months of major anti-government protests.
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