Táchira Governor Vielma Mora on the Venezuelan opposition protests

José Gregorio Vielma Mora is the chavista Governor of the Venezuelan state of Táchira. He supports Nicolás Maduro's claims that the radical opposition is deliberately provoking acts of violence.

But he also directly criticizes the armed forces, the Guardia Nacional Bolivariana (GNB) for excesses in dealing with protests. (See Ministerio Público supervisó autopsia del ingeniero atacado por la GNB Últimas Noticias 24.02.2014)

At the same time, he expresses sympathy for 12 GNB members and 14 police that he says have been injured in Táchira during the current wave of protest. He also says that there are not student protesters there either injured, or in jail, or killed.

And he echoes the call by the opposition, including Henrique Capriles, to release far-right leader Lepoldo López from jail and to grant clemency to Iván Simonovis, currently in prison after being convicted of responsibility for deaths during the 2002 coup.

Vielma Mora: Estoy en contra de la represión Últimas Noticias 24.02.2014

Vielma Mora pidió liberar a Simonovis y a Leopoldo López Panorama 24.02.2014

Vielma Mora: Soy chavista de corazón y convicción Últimas Noticias 25.02.2014

Here is a brief report with Mora denouncing "paid terrorists" encouraging the disorders, Vielma Mora denuncia presencia de "terroristas pagados" en Táchira Últimas Noticias 02/25/2014:

Mora claims that there is a plan among militant oppositionists to promote separatism in the states of Mérida, Táchira and Zulia to establish more more secure political and physical base for the opposition. ("Hay una operación para hacerse con el Táchira, Mérida y Zulia": Vielma Mora Panorama 25.02.2014)

Tags: henrique capriles, maría corina machado, nicolás maduro, venezuela, vielma mora