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<b><big>Venezuela's Political Killings: A Sign of the Repression to
Come?</big></b><br>
<br>
By Ryan Mallett-Outtrim – Venezuelanalysis.com , April 4th 2016<br>
<b><small><small><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/11915">http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/11915</a></small></small></b><br>
<br>
A mayor gunned down in a drive by shooting just meters from his own
doorstep. A legislator shot by paramilitaries in plain sight outside
a bodega. A solidarity activist butchered in a home invasion. Two
police run over by militants in a stolen bus. These are just the
latest in a wave of killings in Venezuela. The motives behind most
of these killings remain unclear, though it's hard to not be
disturbed by what appears to be a growing wave of political violence
gripping the country. In response, Venezuela's right-wing, the mass
media and even most human rights groups are all following a well
worn script that seeks to downplay these killings, or at least
deflect attention away from the context behind the violence. For
example, Human Rights Watch's latest report on Venezuela is
basically just a call for Venezuela's supreme court to be stacked
with supporters of the right-wing political coalition, the MUD.
Another of their recent reports focused on claims imprisoned that
right-wing political figure Leopoldo Lopez didn't receive a fair
trial. Their third most recent report (at the time of writing) was
another complaint about the Maduro administration's human rights
record, including false claims that “security forces violently
cracked down on largely peaceful protests” in 2014. As I saw myself
at the time, those suppressed “largely peaceful protests” included
gangs of armed right-wing militants throwing Molotovs at hospitals,
sniping at civilians from rooftops and setting up barricades to hold
neighbourhoods hostage. Then and now, Venezuela is increasingly
becoming a dangerous place for leftists.<br>
<br>
Indeed, all the recent victims were either leftists, or police
seeking to contain violent right-wing demonstrations. The latest
victim was Marco Tulio Carrillo, the socialist mayor of a
municipality in Trujillo state. Other victims include
Haitian-Venezuelan solidarity activist Fritz Saint Louis, Tupamaro
legislator Cesar Vera, and two police officers in Tachira state.<br>
<br>
These killings take on a new dimension when contextualised: the
right-wing MUD is preparing to oust Maduro, and wrestle control of
all branches of the state from the left.<br>
<br>
If they achieve this, the worst case scenario would be a return to
the repression of the 20th Century, when leftists were all too often
the targets of neoliberal regimes. Today's right-wing has repeatedly
shown it not only has no interest in disavowing violence, but is
willing to turn on the Venezuelan people for their own political
gain. From the 2002 coup to the violence of 2014, there has always
been a sector of the right-wing that has never been afraid to use
terror against ordinary Venezuelans. If it takes complete power,
perhaps the MUD will learn to speak out against violence such as the
recent killings, or perhaps not. After all, much of the MUD is
generally slow to condemn violence against leftists, if they do so
at all. So if they take complete power, will the right reign in
their excesses, or rule with terror?<br>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
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415 863.9977
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