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| Caribbean-Latin America |
| Venezuela : "Popular Militias could destroy oil facilities in case of an US Invasion" |
| 2005-03-24 |
| Below is my translation of the article. Aseguró el general de división Melvin López Hidalgo "Reservistas podrÃÂan destruir instalaciones petroleras en caso de una invasión de USA" "No serä una milicia paralela, ni una milicia del presidente, serä la reserva estratégica, no dependerä de la FAN, no operarä dentro de ella, serä del paÃÂs, regada por todo el territorio y se entrenarä y actuarä donde viven y trabajan los reservistas, en los pozos petroleros, para defenderlos o destruirlos en caso de invasión", expuso Caracas, marzo 22.- El secretario del Consejo Nacional de Seguridad y Defensa de Venezuela, general Melvin López Hidalgo, dijo que se estä conformando una "Reserva Popular" con un millón de personas para defender al paÃÂs de una eventual invasión de Estados Unidos, informó al diario Ultimas Noticias. "Tendremos funcionando en menos de un año una Reserva Popular, la cual llamo Reserva Nacional, y ya se estä formando, integrada por casi un millón de personas integradas para la guerra de cuarta generación o asimétrica en el uso de armamento y en lo que sea necesario para defender el paÃÂs de una posible invasión de Estados Unidos", afirmó al diario "Ultimas Noticias". En entrevista exclusiva con ese rotativo, el oficial precisó que el cuerpo de reservas populares funcionarä al margen de la reserva "tradicional" ya constituida de las fuerzas armadas que siguen bajo el mando del general Mario Arveläez Rengifo. López negó que la fuerza de reservas conforme un ejército paralelo, como acusa la oposición, aunque "no dependerä de la Fuerza Armada Nacional (FAN)". "No serä una milicia paralela, ni una milicia del presidente, serä la reserva estratégica, no dependerä de la FAN, no operarä dentro de ella, serä del paÃÂs, regada por todo el territorio y se entrenarä y actuarä donde viven y trabajan los reservistas, en los pozos petroleros, para defenderlos o destruirlos en caso de invasión", expuso. El militar añadió que la organización de las reservas "serä mäs flexible y sólo accederän a armamento para entrenar o para usarlo en acción", mientras que no estä decidido si "cobrarän" por su labor. Asàmismo, desechó que los reservistas puedan ser usados para amedrentar o perseguir a los adversarios del gobierno porque "las armas estarän bajo control" y porque "no es para atacarnos, sino para defendernos". El oficial aseguró que "han determinado que existen efectivamente las amenazas" contra Venezuela y que incluso ya Estados Unidos junto a otros paÃÂses "ensayó" una invasión al paÃÂs, en una fecha que no precisó. "Ya habÃÂan planificado una invasión conjunta ejércitos de Estados Unidos, España, Gran Bretaña y otros paÃÂses que curiosamente invadieron Irak, en un ejercicio simulado conjunto conocido como 'Balboa', que mostró cuanto saben de nosotros y la intención de actuar en contra nuestra", aseveró. López relató que le explicó esa situación "a los agregados militares de Estados Unidos en mi despacho y trataron de disculparse". Chävez anunció este domingo el nombramiento del general Julio Quintero Viloria como jefe de las "reservas populares y la movilización nacional" y ordenó a los comandos de guarnición que conformen "unidades bäsicas de defensa". "Hay que articular una reserva militar y la organización popular, no se trata de tener sólo a las tropas de reservas en los batallones, no, es el pueblo todo", resaltó el mandatario. (DPA) I think Chavez is competing with the Ayatollah and all the other Middle Eastern despots for the title of most deranged man in power! TRANSLATION Caracas, March 22. - In a statement to the newspaper Ultimas Noticias, the Secretary of the National Council of Security and Defense of Venezuela, General Melvin Lopez Hidalgo, said that a "Popular Militia Reserve" comprised of a million people is being created with the purpose of defending the country against a possible invasion by the United States. "We will have a working Popular Militia regiment, which I call a National Reserve, in less than a year. Its creation is already in the workings and it would be comprised of almost a million people ready to fight a fourth generation war or an asymmetrical war with the use of weapons and whatever is necessary to defend the country against a possible US invasion.", he said to the newspaper Ultimas Noticias. In exclusive interview with the city newspaper, the Officer specified that the Popular Militia Reserve will work at the margin of "the traditional" reserves already part of the Armed Forces under the command of General Mario Arveläez Rengifo. Lopez denied that the new Popular Militia Reserve forms a parallel army, as the Opposition accuses, although "it will not depend on the National Armed Forces (FAN)". "It would not be a parallel military service or a militia at the service of the president. It would be a Strategic reserve. This strategic reserve would not depend on the FAN nor would it operate within its confines. It would be scattered throughout the country and its reservists will be trained wherever they work, in their hometowns and in oil facilities, where they will defend or destroy the latter in the event of an US Invasion," the Major said. The Officer added that the organization of the reserves "will be more flexible and they will only have access to weapons to train or to be used in action." To this point, it has not been decided if they will get paid to serve." Also, he rejected that the reservists could be used to intimidate or to persecute the adversaries of the government because "the weapons will be under strict control" and because "it is not for attacking the population but for self defense" The Officer guaranteed that "they have determined that the threats" against Venezuela exist and that indeed, the United States and other countries, at a date he did not specified, had rehearsed an invasion of the country. "Armies of the United States, Spain and Great Britain, peculiarly the same countries that invaded Iraq, had already planned a joint invasion, as shown by the execution of a simulated invasion known as ' Balboä." The Officer affirmed. Lopez said that, at a meeting in his office, he explained the situation "to the military attaches of the United States, who tried to apologize for their actions." Chävez announced this Sunday the appointment of General Julio Quintero Viloria as head of the "popular reserves and the national movement" and ordered the Commanders of the different Garrisons to create "basic units of defense". "It is necessary to articulate a military reserve and a Popular Reserve. It is not enough to have just battalion troops... no, the whole country has to be involved," said the mandatary. (DPA) |
| Posted by:TMH |
| #12 And a captive audience for all of his speeches! |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2005-03-24 11:24:01 PM |
| #11 well, he does have universal health care, and state supervised housing for dissidents |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-03-24 11:21:29 PM |
| #10 I think that's the US strategy here :-) Fidel has been doing that for decades. Look where it took him. |
| Posted by: True German Ally 2005-03-24 11:18:37 PM |
| #9 What if Ugo rattles his sabres--and nobody shows up? He can only yell "Damn Yanquis" for so long before people realize it's hot air. |
| Posted by: mom 2005-03-24 11:16:53 PM |
| #8 the venezualian equivilant to the CCW license.:) |
| Posted by: kilowattkid 2005-03-24 10:38:16 PM |
| #7 ..Survival time against the 82nd Airborne: Nanoseconds. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2005-03-24 9:05:49 PM |
| #6 Ebbeath Gleart2775, I think this one is definitely for internal consumption. The imbecile spent $500,000 in 6 months in lobbying every major newspaper, US Representative and Senator that the staff from the Chavez's financed office in Washington, DC (Venezuelan Information Office (VIO)) could contact. The FARA (Foreign Agent Registration Act) document is 31 pages long and lists about 34 Senators and more than 10 Representatives. Innumerable newspapers are also listed. http://proveo.org/viofara0804.pdf |
| Posted by: TMH 2005-03-24 9:02:36 PM |
| #5 one shot. one kill. message sent |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-03-24 8:54:36 PM |
| #4 So he's basically arming _his_ faction and giving them orders to destroy the country's sole means of foreign exchange if things go south for them. |
| Posted by: Phil Fraering 2005-03-24 8:51:53 PM |
| #3 ugo is posturing for head of the international. Since saddams on ice, the party needs a new and ever willing dictator to fill the void. How do I know this? He recently made the obligatory trip to india to seek the blessing of the Indian communist oligarchy. He has the obligatory Oil wealth, through which the International will suck its disproportionate share.....He has the ego and bluster to take on the US, and why not. He is "ugo" da demigod still sporting ten fingers and ten toes.... |
| Posted by: Ebbeath Gleart2775 2005-03-24 7:53:01 PM |
| #2 He left out their spiffy new brown uniforms. |
| Posted by: Dishman 2005-03-24 7:28:22 PM |
| #1 I worry about an assphalt shortage. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-03-24 6:59:53 PM |