Josue Wilson, Merida
Venezuelanalysis.com reported on May 30 that "Classes at the University of the Andes [ULA] were suspended again yesterday, as disturbances and protests continued in Merida for the fourth straight business day". The violent protests appear to be US-backed efforts to destabilise the democratically elected Venezuelan government.
Heavily armed opposition student organisation have held violent protests in the city of Merida. Using handguns, shotguns, and Uzis they have repeatedly attacked the police and the National Guard, leaving between 26 and 36 wounded, at least two of those critically. The organisation leading the protests is called the Movimiento 13 de Marzo (March 13 Movement — M-13) and has repeatedly worked to destabilise the city and the country in collaboration with pro-coup anti-Chavez opposition groups.
The stated reason for the protest is the University of the Andes student elections, which were postponed when the Supreme Court ruled that the administration and faculty of the ULA were exerting undue influence on the election and should not make up four of the five members of the elections monitoring committee.
The M-13 claims that this is a violation of the ULA's autonomy and that, although the Venezuelan judicial system is independent of the executive branch, the executive branch is responsible. The reality is that the M-13 and its leader Nixon Moreno (who has been a "student" at the ULA for 15 years) are attempting to create chaos before the presidential elections in December and to incite the universities to rise up against a contrived attack on their autonomy.
During the protests, members of the M-13 chased down, stripped naked, beat and attempted to rape police officer Sofia Aguilar at gunpoint. They also held a pistol to the head of a female member of the Juventude Comunista (Communist Youth) and forced her to reveal the addresses of other JC members, one of whom the M-13 beat severely.
Although there is a long history of violence during protests in Merida, it has consisted of rock throwing and the occasional Molotov cocktail. Never have students come out so heavily armed and shot so many people without any provocation. It is widely suspected that the arms and extremely expensive elections materials possessed by the M-13 have been directly provided by, or bought with resources provided by, US ambassador William Brownfield or the CIA.
Moreno is in close contact with the opposition-aligned former governor of Merida William Davila and reportedly has met at least once with Brownfield.
A statement issued by a coalition of progressive youth organisations in Merida rejected "the terrorist acts perpetrated by the pro-coup opposition groups".
From Green Left Weekly, June 7, 2006.
Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.