Venezuelans in Caracas and multiple states encountered a significant power outage on Friday morning. The government of President Nicolas Maduro attributed the disruption, which commenced around 4:50 a.m., to “electrical sabotage.” Freddy Nanez, the communications minister, assured that efforts were underway to restore power and emphasized the commitment to preserving the peace and tranquility of the Venezuelan people. This message was relayed to journalists via Telegram.
In past years, Venezuela has faced recurrent power outages that were usually attributed by the government to its adversaries. Energy experts, however, have indicated that these outages were commonly a result of incidents like brush fires damaging transmission lines and inadequate maintenance of the country’s electrical infrastructure. The nation’s energy struggles have somewhat diminished as the economy stabilized, inflation decreased, and a de facto dollarization lessened shortages of imported goods.
Despite improvements, authorities tend to quickly point fingers at opponents for any disruptions following the recent controversial presidential election. Such was the case when a brownout affected Caracas and several central states last month. Diosdado Cabello, the newly appointed interior minister and considered the second most influential figure in the country, accused the opposition of deliberately impacting the population in such situations.
Caracas residents appeared to be adapting to the latest disturbance with relative calm. The usually bustling rush hour experienced lighter traffic, and some individuals expressed frustration over the inability to contact family members due to disrupted cellphone service. Alejandra Martinez, a 25-year-old salesclerk, shared her experience of noticing the power outage when a fan ceased operating. Despite hoping for a swift resolution, she ultimately had to commence her morning commute to work amid the dimly lit dawn in Caracas.
