Brit press claims Chavez arms community groups

An article in Britain newspaper The Telegraph accused Venezuelan ruler Hugo Chavez of providing arms to 17,000 “communal councils” around the country. In the article published on Sunday, correspondent Alfonso Daniels wrote that:

“As the official slogan, ‘Build power from below’, proclaims, their stated purpose is to promote grass-roots democracy and hand power directly to the people - in particular the urban poor who make up the bulk of his most fervent supporters.

But as well as grappling with the grim conditions in slums such as Catia, members of these voluntary groups will constitute a nationwide militia, schooled in Cuban-style tactics for both guerrilla warfare and counter-insurgency".

The article went on to cite an advisor to Chavez who admitted that “some communal groups have already received military training” as well as a local opposition politician who said that the government was denying anti-Chavez groups from being part of the communal councils.

In the meantime, thousands of Venezuelans marched in Caracas against the government’s decision to deny the broadcast license for Radio Caracas Television (image).

Links- The Telegraph, Guardian UK

Image- BBC News