Venezuelan opposition freedom fighter Maria Corina Machado on the blackouts sweeping the country
Venezuelan freedom fighter Maria Corina Machado on how the power outages are affecting hospitals in Venezuela and why disputed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro needs to step down.
Venezuela freedom fighter and major opposition movement leader Maria Corina Machado needed to call into "Trish Regan Primetime" on Friday due to massive blackouts leaving Venezuela in darkness.
With electricity down across the country, a face-to-face interview with Machado was impossible.
When asked about the blackouts’ devastating effect, Machado detailed the chaos by saying, “Right now, Venezuela is in a desperate situation…there is a general blackout affecting at least 22 out of 24 states—that have no power supply whatsoever.”
Machado went on to explain that the blackouts are a result of the limits of socialism: “Because of lack of maintenance and protective systems…we are in darkness as we speak.”
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For some Venezuelans, the lack of electricity is not just a matter of inconvenience—the downed power means critical, life-saving hospital systems are down as well, leaving many fighting for their lives.
“I want to be very clear, Trish. This is not because the [Maduro] regime did not have money. Actually, they assigned over $100 billion in the last twenty years to the electricity system, and they robbed it, Machado told Trish Regan. “They stole it. They used it in small, obsolete, terrible generators…some never arrived. And because of corruption, now people are dying.”