Tactical Looting Commandoes

The Venezuelan government is blaming opposition leaders for the serious looting incidents which took place in the city of Cumaná last week.

PSUV leader Diosdado Cabello claims that the opposition is mobilizing what he calls Tactical Looting Commandoes, organized by opposition party Voluntad Popular.

“Voluntad Popular is arming commando groups that start looting, but we have unveiled the structure and the modus operandi of these armed groups,” said Cabello. “Their objective is to create shock groups to light the spark of chaotic violence which would force repression from security forces, they then take pictures [of the repression] in order to continue feeding the spiral of distress,” he added.

As evidence Cabello showed a video of a truck, he claims belongs to another opposition party Primero Justicia, allegedly transporting people to a looting site.

President Nicolas Maduro also accused the opposition of behind the looting incidents in Cumaná. “It was a group of payed criminals taken there in trucks,” said the president of the looters. He also said that several “instigators belonging to opposition parties” had been arrested.

In his public television program Con el Mazo Dando Cabello presented an infographic, later republished by state media, explaining how the Tactical Looting Commandoes operate.