The electric energy war, declared by the United States, will not succeed, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said amid power outage across the South American country and what the national electricity supplier called a "sabotage" at the major hydroelectric power plant.
"The electric energy war declared and directed by the US imperialists against our people will be destroyed. Nothing and nobody will win over the people of [Venezuela's late leader Hugo] Chavez," Maduro wrote on Twitter on Thursday.
Earlier the same day, local media reported that a blackout hit 21 out of 23 states of Venezuela. Moreover, Venezuela’s National Electric Power Corporation reported about subversion at the Guri dam.
Tensions in Venezuela escalated in January when US-backed opposition leader Guaido declared himself to be the country’s interim president. The United States immediately recognized Guaido, seized billions of dollars’ worth of Venezuela’s assets and threatened to use military action against incumbent President Nicolas Maduro's government.
Maduro has called Guaido a puppet of the United States and accused the United States of attempting to orchestrate a coup to overthrow Venezuela’s legitimate government.
Russia, China, Turkey, Mexico, Bolivia and a number of other countries have reaffirmed their support for Maduro as Venezuela’s only legitimate president.
