Maduro blames sabotage as power blackout halts Venezuela

VENEZUELA was almost entirely without power yesterday amid a blackout that wrought chaos and was blamed by the Maduro government on sabotage.

Communications went down, water pumps failed and transport ground to a halt as much of the country was plunged into darkness at around 5pm (9pm GMT) on Thursday.

The power cut was believed to have affected all but one of Venezuela’s 24 states, though with mobile networks and the internet largely out of action, the situation in some areas was unclear.

In Caracas and elsewhere, schools and businesses closed and workers were forced to walk miles to get home. There were reports of life support machines and other essential medical equipment failing at hospitals without backup generators.

There was no word on when the power cut might end, with fears that it could last for days – a daunting prospect for Venezuelans already suffering punishing shortages of food, medicine and money.

Amid the deepening international crisis over his leadership, Nicolás Maduro blamed the blackout on an “electric war” waged by the enemies of his Socialist government, claiming “sabotage” at the Guri hydroelectric dam.

For most Venezuelans, the claims did not ring true, with many noting that Guri was state-operated and under tight security. Instead, they pinned the blackout on years of decay.

Juan Guaidó, the national assembly leader who has been recognised as interim president by more than 50 countries, said the blackout demonstrated the “inefficiency of the usurper”, referring to Mr Maduro.

Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, said: “No food. No medicine. Now, no power. Next, no Maduro.”