Sir, – Your article examining the recent wave of violence in Venezuela failed to address its most significant causes ("Latest protests underscore Maduro's disappointing year as Venezuelan president", World News, April 26th).
It made no mention of the explicit political aims of the current violent protests carried out by minority sectors within Venezuela’s opposition. They are demanding the explicit overthrow of the elected and constitutional government of Venezuela.
This call for “the ousting” is led by politicians whose democratic credentials are tarnished by their links to a military coup in Venezuela in 2002.
The current wave of violence directly followed the call to bring down the government by taking the streets. Tragically it has left 41 dead. The government has condemned the small minority of the deaths, four of the 41, resulting from opposition supporters clashing with security forces.
It has taken tough action, including sacking the head of the military police and ensuring the arrest of officers involved.
But the principal cause of the deaths has been violence from extremists in the opposition. Nine police officers have been killed and even more innocent civilians have been shot dead while trying to clear opposition street barricades or killed in fatal clashes across these deliberately dangerous barricades. The uniquely negative impression given in your analysis fails to explain how parties aligned to President Maduro won December’s mayoral elections with a 10 per cent margin or why Mr Maduro’s approval ratings are considerably higher than those of opposition leaders.
The impression given certainly reflects the perspective of a section of Venezuelan society. However, it does not represent the opinion of the long-excluded majority who have consistently elected parties and candidates aligned with Hugo Chávez in 18 elections over recent years. – Yours, etc,
ALVARO SANCHEZ,
Chargé d’affaires,
Embassy of Venezuela
to the UK and Ireland,
Cromwell Road,
London.