Caracas Chronicles

Katy says: This El Universal note sent shivers down my spine. While PSF chuggers comfortably spin about Venezuela from their First-World ivory towers or their VIO offices with a view of the Potomac, they should spare a thought for university students at one of Venezuela’s oldest and most prestigious institutions trying to study while dodging bullets.

With FALs now in the hands of the civilian population, is this a preview of things to come?

“The President of the University of the Andes, Lester Rodríguez, reported that two of its students were wounded today in a gunfight. Nevertheless, he claimed that ‘the situation at FACES College is under control … there is a tense calm, of course, but the situation is under control.’

One of the wounded students was identified as Alfredo Contreras, who was taken to the Integral Medial Center of the Andes University after being hit by a bullet in the leg, presumably by another student who shot him with a 9 mm. weapon.

Several students were eyewitnesses to the incident and are currently giving their accounts at the Prosecutor’s Office, the university’s President said to Globovisión.

Rodríguez said that he had spoken this afternoon with Lt. Cegarra, general secretary of the Mérida Governor’s office, to schedule a meeting tomorrow with Gov. Florencio Porras, so they can work on a disarmament plan.

The university President stated that ‘regrettably we have students bearing arms on campus. This situation is no longer sustainable, it is out of control, so it’s not only infiltrated individuals anymore, now we also have students aremd with 9 mm. weapons inside the ULA.’

According to the president, there is little the university’s authorities can do to control the access and the use of firearms on campus.”