Article

2012-08-13 Caribbean-Latin America

Venezuela plans a 'guerrilla army' against US invasion

Venezuela is training a "guerrilla army" aiming to be a million strong by 2013 to fight off a possible US invasion, an opposition lawmaker said Sunday.
"Plan Sucre" -- apparently crafted with input from close ally and fellow US foe Cuba -- covers the legal, logistical and other angles necessary to "transform a professional army into a guerrilla army," Representative Maria Corina Machado told El Universal newspaper.

And it's also darned convenient to use against a new government that might not be led by Chavez...

The former presidential candidate said she had obtained a copy of the plan, printed by an institution affiliated with the national army.

"The strategic objective is to build a new Bolivarian military doctrine" that would prepare Venezuela to be successful in a prolonged popular war against "the empire," or the United States, Machado said, citing the document. "This is clearly a proposal with Cuban inspiration and advice."

She said the military plan also provides for strengthening the guerrilla force at the expense of the regular army.

Almost as if the regular army would be the enemy...

The plan calls for "strengthening the territorial militias, in order to ensure the necessary strength for the overall defense of the nation, targeting recruitment levels of one million by 2013 and two million by 2019," Machado said, citing the document.

Venezuela's militia corps, described by firebrand leftist President Hugo Chavez as "an army of the public," was created in 2005 to protect the country against possible "imperialist" aggression. They are considered a part of the military but report directly to the president.

Or to Chavez, if he's not president...

Posted by Steve White 2012-08-13 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11131 views ] Top

#1 So.. when Chavez dies of cancer in a few months... his supporters lay waste the hospital?

Posted by Water Modem 2012-08-13 00:36|| 2012-08-13 00:36|| Front Page Top

#2 Methinks the Strait of Hormuz will be easier to close than the Amazon River-Basin.

Posted by JosephMendiola 2012-08-13 00:43|| 2012-08-13 00:43|| Front Page Top

#3 I'd be more concerned with PO'ing the neighbors who probably won't have to deal with anything more than a strongly worded statement from the UN council for gross human rights violations when they 'scorched earth' the place in pay back for funding and supporting death and destruction in their own countries.

Posted by Procopius2k 2012-08-13 08:41|| 2012-08-13 08:41|| Front Page Top

#4 I'm sure they will wear brownshirts as well.

Posted by rjschwarz 2012-08-13 14:47|| 2012-08-13 14:47|| Front Page Top

#5 US invasion? Why? Canada has more oil, mostly speaks the same language, and would probably welcome the liberation from their French-speaking tyrants.

Posted by Rob Crawford 2012-08-13 16:47|| 2012-08-13 16:47|| Front Page Top

#6 Oh, and when do they plan on ARMING their guerrilla army? Mighty sensitive timing to that...

Posted by Rob Crawford 2012-08-13 16:48|| 2012-08-13 16:48|| Front Page Top

#7 And if we never show up, hey, they can just crush their own people...

Posted by tu3031 2012-08-13 17:06|| 2012-08-13 17:06|| Front Page Top

08:15 Seeking Cure For Ignorance
08:14 Besoeker
08:05 Grom the Affective
08:02 Procopius2k
08:01 Procopius2k
07:59 Procopius2k
07:41 Procopius2k
07:37 Procopius2k
07:37 Super Hose
07:36 Besoeker
07:35 Besoeker
07:33 Super Hose
07:33 Besoeker
07:32 Super Hose
07:29 Super Hose
07:28 Super Hose
07:26 Besoeker
07:23 badanov
07:09 Besoeker
07:01 Besoeker
06:45 Besoeker
06:43 Richard+Aubrey+
06:38 NN2N1
06:28 Grom the Affective