Venezuelan Electrical Energy Minister Luis Motta Dominguez reported that 13 attacks on Venezuela's electrical grid took place over the last week, in an attempt to destabilize the Dec. 6 National Assembly elections.
Motta Dominguez presented the information at a press conference on Monday.
"The electrical system in the 18 days of October has received 13 attacks, 13 acts of sabotage, which also destabilizes the system,” he said. “They are intended to disturb and disrupt the elections on December 6."
Dominguez said that "in previous elections, there were power outages just two days before the elections, and they are repeating the pattern."
According to Motta Dominguez the sabotage began on October 13 at a power plant in Zulia state, located in the northwestern corner of the country, where they cut part of the wiring. The owner showed pictures explaining a failure in the Guyana A line.
Es un plan sistemático y continuó dijo @LMOTTAD pic.twitter.com/bULzKuE167
— MPPEE (@MPPEE)
octubre 19, 2015
“It's a systematic plan and it continues," said @LMOTTAD.
“The next attack was in Falcon (located in the northwest of the country), where a citizen was found manipulating a power transformer," Motta Dominguez said. He also reported three attempts to hack the official website of Corpoelec, the state corporation responsible for Venezuelan power.
The minister reported an explosion and fire in a power transformer in Tachira – located in the Andes mountains, to the southwest of the country – which has affected two electrical substations. It was determined that the damage was caused by two bullet holes, leaving the people of Tachira without 200 megawatts of energy.
No creo que sea casualidad, causalidad más bien afirma ministro @LMOTTAD #EnVivo por @vtv pic.twitter.com/gCzjsYYNO0
— MPPEE (@MPPEE)
octubre 19, 2015
“I don't think it's an accident, rather short of an accident, asserted minister @LMOTTAD #EnVivo from @vtv
"Note that all the attacks are concentrated in Falcon, Zulia and Tachira, all border states,” he concluded. “It is no accident."
Hemos recibido en pocos días 13 ataques en el SEN explica @LMOTTAD #EnVivo pic.twitter.com/Z6YzGGKMxM
— MPPEE (@MPPEE)
octubre 19, 2015
We have received 13 attacks on the SEN in a few days, @LMOTTAD #EnVivo
Venezuelans Affirm their Commitment to Democracy
This Sunday, the people of Venezuela reaffirmed their commitment to democracy by participating en masse in the mock election organized by the National Electoral Council (CNE), ahead of the Dec. 6 parliamentary elections.
The event aimed to familiarize voters with the voting machines and present the candidates in order to reduce voting time. During the drill, no votes were totaled, nor were polls taken.
The mock election was held in 87 locations and it allowed Venezuelans to evaluate the efficiency of the process leading up to the election of National Assembly members.
On December 6, 749 polling centers and 4,455 polling stations will be set up across the country.