Defense against saboteurs according to public television

The National Assembly approved yesterday the “Anti-imperialist Enabling Law for Peace” which grants president Maduro extensive especial powers to rule by decree in matters related to national security and sovereignty.

As part the preparations for the imperial invasion the government has started 10 days of “civic-military exercises” called Bolivarian Shield. According to defense minister Vladimir Padrino López these exercises aim at reinforcing the “civic-military union in defense of the Fatherland in the face of any imperial aggression.”

However the civil and military readiness is necessary, not only against the external imperial aggression, but also against internal apátridas saboteurs. 

Here is a video shown by the public television channel Venezolana de Televisión explaining how to deal with this internal threat. In the closing minute of the video vice-president Jorge Arreaza explains that it “is a clear demonstration of how to protect” the Venezuelan oil industry.

In the first part an actor representing a saboteur gains access to the operation center Paraguaná oil refinery. Fortunately, the operator at the control board “is a patriot,” says the narrator, and quickly calls his superior. The superior confirms there is a sabotage attempt -the suspect seems nervous alterado, says the narrator- and calls security.

Enter the Cuerpo Combatiente de PDVSA, including a rifle armed soldier, two corporate security officers, and a militia member. They “proceeded to take the apátrida, saboteur, into custody.”

The video then turns to “situation number 2.” The narrator tells us that thanks to “social intelligence” the Combat Units (Cuerpos Combatientes) of PDVSA, have received information that a group of people have gathered with “the intention of creating a manifestation.”

A small group of protesters wielding sticks and rocks approach the gate of a PDVSA facility. Members of the National Guard and Militias (not allowed by the Constitution to deal with public order situations) arrive at the scene on motorbikes. However, the situation is fortunately diffused by members of the Cuerpo Combatiente who, according to the narrator, “use dialogue and the debate of ideas” to calm down the protesters “as it is usually done in our Fatherland.”

But the danger is far from over. A tank truck driver “intentionally” provokes an accident with an incoming car with the aim, says the narrator, of “blocking the entrance of the refinery and paralyzing its operation.”

Medical personal arrives at the scene to take the injured car driver. The narrator insists for a second time that the situation is “intentional” and not an accident. Nothing is said in the video of what happens to the saboteur truck driver who is not seen again.

“Situation number 3” is similar to the previous one. A second saboteur truck driver parks his tank truck in front to the entrance and refuses to move. This second driver seems to be an open saboteur because he gets down from his trick and violently proclaim he will not move their truck. The National Guard arrives again and arrests the apátrida truck driver.

The narrator explains that these actions “show the understanding and cohesion of the trilogy government, the people, and the Bolivarian Armed Forces.”

The saboteur’s truck is finally moved and a convoy of tank trucks passes the gate, the drivers waving national and PDVSA flags. The narrator ends by celebrating the triumph of the “anti-imperialist, socialist, and profoundly chavista PDVSA workers.”