Protests against Nicolás Maduro: Difference between revisions

[[File:Colectivo motorcyclists Venezuela.jpg|250px|thumb|Masked Venezuelan motorcyclists are often associated with colectivos.<ref name="MEDIUM">{{cite web|title=Pro-Government Motorcycle Militias Terrorize Venezuela|url=https://medium.com/war-is-boring/pro-government-motorcycle-militias-terrorize-venezuela-a9375607c800|website=Medium|date=22 February 2014|access-date=31 January 2015}}</ref><ref name="HUFFPOSTcolectivo">{{cite news|title=Venezuela Motorcylce Gang Videos Show Terror And Violence In Support Of Maduro|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/25/venezuela-motorcycle-gangs-vidoes-colectivos_n_4855640.html|access-date=21 March 2014|newspaper=Huffington Post|date=25 February 2014}}</ref><ref name="ABCmarch2013">{{cite news|last1=Markovits|first1=Martin|last2=Rueda|first2=Manuel|title=Venezuela Election is a High Stakes Affair for Local Vigilante Groups|url=https://abcnews.go.com/ABC_Univision/ABC_Univision/venezuela-election-high-stakes-affair-local-vigilante-groups/story?id=18822407&singlePage=true|access-date=1 December 2014|agency=ABC News|date=27 March 2013}}</ref>]]

Militant groups known as ''"[[Colectivo (Venezuela)|colectivos]]"'' attacked protesters and opposition TV staff, sent death threats to journalists, and [[Tear gas|tear-gassed]] the [[Holy See (The Vatican)|Vatican]] envoy after [[Hugo Chávez]] accused these groups of intervening with his government. Colectivos helped assist the government during the protests.<ref name="reuters colectivo">{{cite news|last=Wallis|first=Daniel|title=Venezuela violence puts focus on militant 'colectivo' groups|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/venezuela-protests-colectivos-idUSL2N0LI14W20140213|access-date=22 February 2014|newspaper=Reuters|date=13 February 2014|archive-date=26 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226160034/http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/13/venezuela-protests-colectivos-idUSL2N0LI14W20140213|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Human Rights Watch]] said that "the government of Venezuela has tolerated and promoted groups of armed civilians," which HRW claims have "intimidated protesters and initiated violent incidents".<ref name=HRWcolectivo>{{cite web|title=Venezuela: Violence Against Protesters, Journalists|date=21 February 2014|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2014/02/21/venezuela-violence-against-protesters-journalists|publisher=Human Rights Watch|access-date=21 March 2014}}</ref> [[Socialist International]] also condemned the impunity that irregular groups have had while attacking protesters.<ref name=SIendtoviolence>{{cite web|title=Venezuela : for an end to the violence|url=http://www.socialistinternational.org/viewArticle.cfm?ArticleID=2284|publisher=Socialist International|access-date=15 May 2014}}</ref> President Maduro has thanked certain groups of motorcyclists for their help against what he views as a "fascist coup d'etat... being waged by the extreme right", but also distanced himself from armed groups, stating that they "had no place in the revolution".<ref name=USAcolectivo>{{cite news|title=Protesters back in streets in Venezuela|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/02/24/ex-venezuelan-general-standoff/5772237/|access-date=21 March 2014|newspaper=USA Today|date=24 February 2014}}</ref> On a later occasion, President Maduro issued a condemnation of all violent groups and said a government supporter would go to jail if he performed a crime, just as an opposition supporter would. He said that someone who is violent has no place as a government supporter and thus should leave the pro-government movement immediately.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|title=Maduro no aceptará grupos violentos y armados en el chavismo y advierte que podrian ir a la carcel|url=http://www.noticias24.com/venezuela/noticia/222386/maduro-no-aceptara-grupos-violentos-y-armados-en-el-chavismo-y-advierte-que-podrian-ir-a-la-carcel/|publisher=Noticias21|access-date=17 April 2014|archive-date=9 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141209001056/http://www.noticias24.com/venezuela/noticia/222386/maduro-no-aceptara-grupos-violentos-y-armados-en-el-chavismo-y-advierte-que-podrian-ir-a-la-carcel/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Some ''"colectivos"'' have acted violently against the opposition without impediment from Venezuelan government forces.<ref name="lapatilla.com">{{cite news | title =Colectivos de paz accionan armas de fuego en la Rómulo Gallegos ante mirada de la GNB|url = http://www.lapatilla.com/site/2014/02/19/colectivos-de-paz-accionan-armas-de-fuego-en-la-romulo-gallegos-ante-mirada-de-la-gnb/ |access-date=19 February 2014|newspaper=La Patilla|date=19 February 2014}}</ref> Vice President of Venezuela, [[Jorge Arreaza]], praised colectivos saying, "If there has been exemplary behavior it has been the behavior of the motorcycle colectivos that are with the Bolivarian revolution."<ref name=APcolectivo>{{cite news|title=Armed pro-govt militias roil Venezuela protests|url=http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2014-03-30-Venezuela-Loyalist%20Militias/id-ea31fc1b693a498da7c38a8a2ac41b22|access-date=31 March 2014|newspaper=The Associated Press|date=30 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205105816/http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2014-03-30-Venezuela-Loyalist%20Militias/id-ea31fc1b693a498da7c38a8a2ac41b22|archive-date=5 December 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> However, on 28 March 2014, Arreaza promised that the government would disarm all irregular armed groups in Venezuela.<ref>{{cite news|title=Arreaza promete desarme de grupos armados|url=http://www.eluniversal.com/nacional-y-politica/140328/arreaza-promete-desarme-de-grupos-armados|access-date=6 April 2014|newspaper=El Universal|date=28 March 2014}}</ref> Colectivos have also been called a "fundamental pillar in the defense of the homeland" by the Venezuelan Prison Minister, [[Iris Varela]].<ref>{{cite news|title=A tale of two prisoners|url=https://www.economist.com/news/americas/21596945-after-opposition-leader-arrested-violence-continues-unabated-tale-two-prisoners|access-date=21 March 2014|newspaper=Economist|date=20 February 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Varela: Colectivos son el pilar para la defensa de la patria|url=http://www.eluniversal.com/nacional-y-politica/140215/varela-colectivos-son-el-pilar-para-la-defensa-de-la-patria|access-date=26 March 2014|newspaper=El Universal|date=15 February 2014}}</ref>