Two opposition members were killed yesterday in the Venezuelan state of Barinas during a campaign rally in support of presidential candidate Henrique Capriles. The incident comes a little over a week before the country’s 7th October elections.
Antonio Valero, aged 32, of the Primero Justicia party and Omar Fernandez, aged 63, an Independent, were members of the Mesa de Unidad Democratica, the coalition of more than 30 political parties backing Capriles.
The two were campaigning in Hugo Chavez’s home state of Barinas, in the west of the country. Their caravan was blocked from proceeding by pro-Chavez supporters, and when they attempted to negotiate a way past they were fired upon by gunmen.
Witnesses say the shots came from a van belonging to the state oil company PDVSA, though this is yet to be confirmed.
In an official statement, the Primero Justicia party said “we denounce all types of violence and express our solidarity with the families of the victims… [T]his tragedy gives us more strength and faith to fight for a Venezuela where justice, not violence, reigns.”
Chavez, who was speaking in Guarenas at the time, did not mention the incident.
Violence has erupted around the campaign before, but this incident marks the first deaths. Stones were thrown by supporters of both candidates earlier this month in the city of Puerto Cabello, and four people were injured in a shooting at an electoral rehearsal in the beginning of September.
Facebook comments