Maduro starts his campaign hugging Chávez and with his back to the country
“What an incredible journey we have experienced and the future holds even more exciting possibilities!” Nicolás Maduro delivered an inspiring message to Chavismo from his platform of propaganda on the significant day of the revolution. This Sunday marked the anniversary of the failed coup against the social democrat Carlos Andrés Pérez and also the 25th anniversary of the Bolivarian access to power.
The Day of National Dignity, officially commemorating the military coup that attempted to seize the Presidency and the four assassination attempts in a single day, served as the launch of Maduro’s presidential campaign for the upcoming elections. The new chapter of the coup’s apology aimed to overshadow the act led by María Corina Machado in Calabozo, a municipality in one of the most oppressed regions of the country.
The Bolivarian Fury, a term coined by President Maduro himself, arrived in buses carrying leaders, officials, militiamen, and the small remaining civil society that supports the ruling party, from all corners of the nation. Various groups gathered around the 4F Barracks, a revolutionary stronghold on January 23. Inside rests the remains of the eternal commander, the lieutenant colonel who led the uprising in 1992.
In the early morning, soldiers of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces trotted out with their flags, sending a clear message that they (their generals) are the ones ensuring Chavez’s successor remains in power. “There will never be a need for another rebellion,” stated Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López. Out of the 261 political prisoners identified by the Penal Forum, 146 are soldiers.
The Bolivarian march extended to the Miraflores Palace to hear Maduro’s passionate address, which did not disappoint. “We hold the world record for the most elections, with 30 elections and 28 victories fought tooth and nail for respect. We always come out to win, no matter the circumstances,” he declared.
The most enthusiastic participants echoed Chávez’s son with the famous phrase “10 million for the harvest,” representing the revolutionary dream of reaching the electoral pinnacle that was never accomplished in the patriotic plebiscite of December. Even after two months, there are still no detailed results from the referendum. In the end, it is considered one of the greatest frauds in history, with experts and the opposition estimating that Chavismo added eight million votes to the final 10, despite empty polling centers all day.
To further complicate matters, Maduro has called upon his allies and collaborators to set the most convenient electoral date for him on Monday. “Their maneuver is a fraudulent electoral strategy that violates the will of millions of Venezuelans. I warn against this blatant manipulation that continues to disregard the Barbados Agreement,” spoke out María Corina Machado, who received support from exiles and emigrants around the world, including Madrid, on Sunday.
According to the Barbados Agreement, the elections, in which the candidate chosen in the opposition primaries (Machado, with 92.6% of the votes), should take part, will be held in the second half of the year. In recent hours, it has been confirmed that an envoy from Joe Biden met with the head of the Chavista delegation following the latest revolutionary attack, which includes the disqualification of the liberal leader.