Basic and Strategic Services Defense Command

The creation of a new military initiative has been revealed by Nicolás Maduro: the Comando para la Defensa de los Servicios Básicos y Estratégicos del Estado.

“This will be a new structure of our National Bolivarian Armed Forces which is motivated by this electric imperialist attack and will reinforce and ensure all our public services,” said Maduro.

The new Command will be formed by a “shock force” in charge of guarding basic services “suppliers and controllers,” a second force will deal with “physical and cyber security” of facilities, and a third group “will be deployed for maintenance.” Maduro gave no further details of who will lead this new Command and where it will fit within stablished military structures of the armed forces.

Maduro also said that he felt the need to link the CLAPs –the  government’s food program, -and  the Communal Councils “to the local military units in each sector.”

On recent reports of looting in several states, Maduro said that they were the work of “armed groups of the fascist right,” and asked the government armed civilian groups known as colectivos to be ready to “defend peace.” But he also warned the pro-government groups that the “fascist right” might be trying to bribe them: “Beware colectivos! Dollars are being moved around.”