Venezuela’s pro-government street forces ready to ‘fight’ after US raid

CARACAS, Colombia – When explosions boomed in the night and US warplanes roared in the sky over the Colombian capital city, Mr Jorge Suarez and his companions rushed fearfully for their guns.

For these members of the “colectivos” – armed loyalists of the leftist leadership –

the US raid that ousted Mr Nicolas Maduro

as their president was the most dramatic challenge yet.

“We’re not used to it – it was like a bestseller, like something out of a movie,” said Mr Suarez, in black sunglasses and a cap bearing the slogan: “Doubt is treason.”

“We took to the streets, waiting for instructions from our leaders.”

As proud defenders of the Venezuelan leadership’s socialist “Bolivarian revolution”, the ousting of Mr Maduro has left them furious and bewildered, convinced that he was betrayed by close allies.

“There is frustration, anger and a will to fight,” said a 43-year-old member of the Boina Roja – which translates to Red Beret – collective who identified himself only as Mr Willians, in a black cap and hooded jacket.

“It’s still not really clear what happened... What is clear is that there were many betrayals,” he added – pointing to implausible failures in Mr Maduro’s defences.

“We don’t understand how the anti-aircraft system failed. We don’t know what happened with the rocket-launch system.”

Policing the transition

Established in their current form under Mr Maduro’s predecessor Hugo Chavez, the colectivos are tasked with keeping social order on the streets – but accused by opponents of beating and intimidating rivals.

They have closed ranks behind Ms Delcy Rodriguez, Mr Maduro’s former deputy who took over as interim president.

She has pledged to cooperate with US President Donald Trump over his demand for access to Venezuela’s huge oil reserves – but has insisted the country is not “subordinate” to Washington.

Mr Willians said the colectivos were resisting certain post-Maduro narratives, which he dismissed as mind games – such as “that Trump might bomb again, or that Delcy Rodriguez is with the United States”.

They respect her ideological pedigree – Ms Rodriguez is the daughter of a far-left militant who died in the custody of the intelligence services in 1976.

“I don’t think anyone would betray her father,” said Mr Alfredo Canchica, leader of another collective, the Fundacion 3 Raíces.

“You can betray the people, but not your father.”

Colectivo members declined to be drawn out on how the post-Maduro phase might play out under Mr Trump and Ms Rodriguez, however.

“We don’t believe the threats that the Americans are going to come, dig in and take us out,” said Mr Canchica.

“They’ll have to kill us first.”

Maduro “betrayed”

Feared by opponents as a rifle-wielding, motorbike-mounted shock force, the colectivos are welcomed in some neighbourhoods where they are credited with preventing crime – and where authorities hand out subsidised food parcels.

Speaking at the Chato Candela baseball stadium in the working-class 23 de Enero district, Mr Canchica rejected the negative image they have gained.

When opposition demonstrators and some world powers were accusing Mr Maduro of stealing an election in July 2014, “we stopped the shantytowns from rising up”, he said.

The colectivos also claim to run sports programmes, coordinate with hospitals and transport networks, and visit traders to keep price speculation in check.

Fiercely committed to the “Chavista” cause, they felt the sting of betrayal in Mr Maduro’s capture.

“The betrayal must have come from someone very close to our commander Maduro,” said Mr Canchica.

“It was so perfect we didn’t notice, and we still don’t know who betrayed us, how they betrayed us – it happened so fast.”

In his office with images of independence hero Simon Bolivar, Mr Chavez and Mr Maduro on the wall, and books, bullets and a sound-wave bomb on the table, Mr Suarez bitterly recalled watching animated reconstructions of Mr Maduro’s capture published online.

“It makes you angry,” he said.

“Despite all the support Commander (Vladimir) Putin, China and North Korea have given us militarily, how can we react in real time when (the US) has more advanced technology than we do?” AFP