Chavez Frias admits sabotage attempts on electricity sectors

www.vheadline.com Posted: Sunday, March 23, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

President Hugo Chavez Frias has announced that saboteurs have attacked the Carabobo Plant Centro electricity plant, which supplies the important central States.

Admitting an electric breakdown at Planta Centro more than two weeks ago, the President claims that saboteurs are playing on the fact that waters levels at Guri reservoir in Bolivar are at a critically low level to create chaos through electrical breakdowns. “It’s an electrical coup d’etat aimed at creating chaos … pure terrorism.”

No names of persons or groups have been mentioned but Chavez Frias suggests that there has been complicity from inside one or several electricity companies.

“By sabotaging Planta Centro and while we are doing repair works, they are forcing us to ask Guri for more electricity … they know water levels are critical and they want us to start rationing electricity.”

The President maintains that the same tactics were used during the December-January oil sector stoppage and says he has ordered the Armed Force (FAN) and state intelligence agencies to nip the electrical coup in the bud. Last month, Quinto Dia columnist Miguel Salazar warned that opposition sectors would attempt to disrupt electricity services.