Nearby Homes and Businesses Reduced to Rubble – Photo: @leboreiro_33
Last night’s huge blast at Amuay Refinery in Paraguaná is quickly turning into an object lesson in the impossibility of controlling information in the Twitter era. As the private media softball the story for fear of retribution and official spokesmen lamely repeat that ‘everything is under control’, the real story as told by people on the ground leaks out with stunning ease.
Apparently the National Guard post at the Refinery Gate was totally levelled, and the area saw an outbreak of looting before dawn.
Stay tuned. More photos after the break.
You know it’s bad news when you’ve knocked Apple off the top spot on the BBC News Website:
I heard they had been without electricity in Punto Fijo for the last four days…
It’s true JC: http://www.panorama.com.ve/portal/app/vista/detalle_noticia.php?id=31338
There’s a press conference of VP Jaua and Minister/President Ramirez right now:
The sentence “Everything is under control” is repeated over and over. Ramirez call it the explosion “a major event”. Amuay refinery will restart operations in 2 days, according to him. An investigative commission will be formed to investigate the causes.
Ramirez indicated that a gas leak was detected at the time. No hint of “sabotage” so far.
Capriles should immediately call for Ramirez to be fired. Obviously, Chávez will not fire him, which lets Capriles make the case that Chávez is covering up for those who were responsible for this mess.
I think the same. The person in charge must assume full responsibility, period.
I’m thinking more in terms of strategy. If Capriles cals for Ramírez’s head, it makes it increasingly unlikely he’ll be sacked. In a way, Capriles can “tie” Ramírez to Chávez.
True, true.
That’s the kind of thing you say in a nice urgent e-mail to the-powers-that-be.
Can you confirm the origin of that second picture from the top? It looks familiar and i think i may have seen it on a story on Alepo…I’ll look it up.
Nvm…it’s not the same one.
At first I also thought it looks like Syria, but there is water (rain?) on the street and no fire traces, also not a focus of destruction (like shelling), it was a enormous far blast crashing all.
Well, the 2 dawgs look to do okay. Business as usual for them.