Caracas, August 13 (RHC)-- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has attacked far-right opposition leader Maria Corina Machado for, in his words, seeking support from tycoon Elon Musk to "assault political power in the country."
"Where is the biggest fascist, Mrs. Machado, who orders people to kill, orders people to assassinate, prepares 'comanditos' (violent groups), claims them and believes that with the support of Elon Musk she is going to take over political power in the country?" the president asked at a joint meeting of the Council of State and National Defense held in Caracas.
His remarks were extended to former presidential candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, who along with Machado would appear as one of "the intellectual authors" of the post-election violence, which according to figures offered by the Prosecutor's Office resulted in 25 people killed and 192 injured, as well as considerable damage to public infrastructure.
"Where are the masterminds behind all this violence, where are the financiers of all this violence? Where are those who planned it? Where are they? Where are those who called for violence and then claimed it on their social networks? Where is Mr. Edmundo González Urrutia? Where is he hiding? Why is he fleeing? Why is he afraid? Why doesn't he show his face?" he asked.
In reference to similar actions by this extremist sector of the opposition that have taken place in the past, Maduro called for people to remember that these leaders "deceive, pervert and lead their supporters into violence" "and then abandon them."
"They are left to their own devices. The perpetrators should assume their responsibility," he stressed, while calling on "the public powers" to act "with speed" and attack crime "with an iron fist."
"As head of State, head of Government and president of Venezuela, I demand from all the powers of the State greater speed, greater efficiency and an iron fist against crime, against violence, against hate crimes. An iron fist and severe, accurate justice; to enforce constitutional principles," he concluded.
Despite having rejected the results of the elections of July 28, which gave Maduro a third term, neither González nor Machado have appeared before the National Electoral Council to formally challenge the election.
For his part, Edmundo Gonzalez has also disregarded the summons of the Supreme Court of Justice and the political organizations that supported his candidacy for the highest office have abstained from presenting electoral material of interest to the expert opinion of the process that this body is carrying out.
