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“¡Los policías lo mataron!”, gritaba Yofran junto a un joven que instantes previos cayó baleado en la ciudad venezolana de Maracay, convertida este martes en tierra sin Dios ni ley por saqueadores que arrasaban con todo a su paso, describe la situación de este martes la agencia de noticias AFP .
Recibió un disparo en un pómulo en medio de choques con la policía, que intentaba en vano evitar que una turba siguiera asaltando negocios en Santa Rita, uno de los sectores más peligrosos de este polo industrial.
Las autoridades no habían confirmado aún el deceso.
Tras el tiroteo, la policía se marchó y la multitud -entre la cual hombres armados con cuchillos- la emprendió contra una licorería, que se sumó a la treintena de negocios saqueados desde la noche del lunes.
Cuando intentaba controlar los disturbios en la madrugada, un militar fue muerto a tiros, según la Fiscalía.
Mientras Yofran Niño lloraba de rodillas, decenas de personas pasaban con cajas de ron y cerveza junto al joven baleado, llevado minutos después en la plataforma de una camioneta por agentes de la policía científica, blandiendo ametralladoras.
No sabía su nombre, pero se refería a él como su “hermano”.
“¡Los policías lo mataron! No tenemos pistolas, queremos que esta mierda de país cambie, que se vaya Maduro. Llevan más de una hora lanzándonos plomo”, dijo a la AFP Yofran, de 23 años, quien se cubría el rostro con una camiseta.
Tras desplegar una sábana sobre el cuerpo, el joven se sumó al asalto.
– “Es vandalismo” –
En medio del caos, el equipo de la AFP sufrió el robo de una cámara de video por parte de saqueadores, mientras un fotógrafo fue golpeado en la cabeza cuando intentaban quitarle otra.
Los asaltos se desataron tras cortes de vías convocados el lunes por la oposición, en el marco de protestas contra el presidente Nicolás Maduro que dejan 76 muertos en casi tres meses.
Supermercados, panaderías, carnicerías y farmacias fueron vaciadas. Los ataques también incluyeron un edificio de la telefónica estatal y una sede del partido de gobierno, quemadas parcialmente.
Barrio de casas humildes, en Santa Rita los saqueadores tumbaron con un camión la puerta de una bodega.
De allí y un abasto sacaron papel higiénico, granos, mantequilla, embutidos, refrescos. Todo.
“¡Móntate, Jesús!”, gritaba una mujer con los ojos desorbitados tras meter unos paquetes en un carro.
Sin que nadie le prestara atención, un hombre se quejaba de que la policía le había quemado su motocicleta, que ardía en una barricada.
“¿Eso es hambre? No. Esto es vandalismo. Nos quedamos sin panadería, la única que había por acá”, señaló a la AFP María Velásquez, ama de casa de 54 años, que con muchos otros vecinos rechazaba a gritos los saqueos.
Sólo en los dos primeros meses de protestas contra Maduro, el Observatorio de Conflictividad Social contabilizó 157 saqueos e intentos de saqueo.
– “Son un peligro” –
Tras saquear otra licorería en el sector de La Cooperativa, una muchedumbre pretendía asaltar otros locales, cuyos dueños cerraron y los esperaban en una esquina. Un hombre amagó con apedrear a motorizados que pasaban con una caja de ron.
“No nos podemos dejar amedrentar, por eso es que Venezuela está así”, vociferaba Gabriela Rodríguez, de 38 años, propietaria de un local de cosméticos.
“No les digas nada, esa gente es un peligro”, le rogaba una mujer mayor, en tanto un comerciante se jactaba de haber ahuyentado a los saqueadores disparando al aire la noche del lunes.
Escoltado por una tanqueta, un piquete policial llegó antes que la turba y la dispersó con gases lacrimógenos. A su paso fue aplaudido por los comerciantes. El gobierno reportó 200 detenidos.
Rodríguez sostiene que los saqueos se iniciaron porque los “colectivos” -organizaciones comunales afines al gobierno que según la oposición están armadas- no reciben desde hace meses las bolsas de comida que distribuye el gobierno a precios subsidiados.
El dueño de una farmacia saqueada aseguró, por su parte, que se trata de un plan para “sembrar terror y desactivar las protestas” contra Maduro.
“Iban en una camioneta y en cada negocio dejaban un grupo de muchachos. Aquí trajeron a unos ocho”, comentó a la AFP.
Maracay estaba sumida en el miedo y la anarquía. Un hombre en moto paró para advertirle a un vendedor ambulante que los saqueos continuarían. “Me dijo que recogiera porque más tarden venían con todo”, declaró.
Mientras, en Santa Rita la gente ya mostraba preocupación porque no tendrán dónde abastecerse en medio de la aguda escasez de alimentos y medicinas.
Eso, en apariencia, no parecía inquietar a una joven que empujaba, bajo el intenso sol, un trago de cerveza robada.
por Alexander MARTINEZ/AFP
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A political and economic crisis in the oil-producing country has spawned often violent demonstrations by protesters demanding President Nicolas Maduro’s resignation and new elections. The unrest has left 76 people dead since April 1. / AFP PHOTO / Federico PARRA
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A political and economic crisis in the oil-producing country has spawned often violent demonstrations by protesters demanding President Nicolas Maduro’s resignation and new elections. The unrest has left 76 people dead since April 1. / AFP PHOTO / Federico PARRA
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A political and economic crisis in the oil-producing country has spawned often violent demonstrations by protesters demanding President Nicolas Maduro’s resignation and new elections. The unrest has left 76 people dead since April 1. / AFP PHOTO / Federico PARRA
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A political and economic crisis in the oil-producing country has spawned often violent demonstrations by protesters demanding President Nicolas Maduro’s resignation and new elections. The unrest has left 76 people dead since April 1. / AFP PHOTO / CARLOS BECERRA
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A political and economic crisis in the oil-producing country has spawned often violent demonstrations by protesters demanding President Nicolas Maduro’s resignation and new elections. The unrest has left 76 people dead since April 1. / AFP PHOTO / Federico PARRA
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