A wave of repression began in Venezuela after Maduro's arrest

A wave of repression has begun in Venezuela after the arrest of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife by Americans. Financial Times writes about this, reports UNN.

"The Venezuelan government has launched a crackdown after the US seizure of Nicolas Maduro, arresting journalists and deploying paramilitary forces to suppress any expressions of support for the removal of the authoritarian leader," the publication writes.

It is noted that the wave of repression came after Delsi Rodriguez, Maduro's former deputy and the country's new leader, tried to consolidate her power. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino pledged the armed forces' support to Rodriguez after she was sworn in as acting president on Monday.

Armed paramilitary forces were deployed on the streets of Caracas as part of a state of emergency declared on Monday, which prohibits Venezuelans from expressing support for the US raid. Media unions said that 14 journalists and media workers, 11 of whom represent foreign media, were detained for several hours before being released.

Since US special forces captured Maduro and his politician wife Cilia Flores on Saturday, the rest of his regime has tried to suppress public celebration.

The state of emergency decree, dated January 3 but published in the official gazette on Monday, obliges the authorities to "immediately begin searching for and arresting... any person involved in facilitating or supporting the US armed attack on the territory of the republic."

Let's recall

Earlier, Reuters wrote that the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro by the United States deprived Vladimir Putin of an ally and could strengthen the US's "oil influence." At the same time, Moscow is considering possible benefits from President Donald Trump dividing the world into spheres of influence.