Caracas Chronicles

More than three months since the start of the protests, the excessive use of tear gas is the new normal, both in Caracas and right here in Barquisimeto.

But not every incident involving tear gas here in Guaroristan is directly related to the demostrations. Let me explain…

Last weekend, a local nightclub was celebrating its farewell party when two tear gas cannisters were set off inside. At least 500 people stampeded out of the club, thankfully leaving dozens of people with minor injuries or breathing problems in its wake. One person was reportedly shot in the stomach in the same incident.

Then, on Monday, another cannister was set off inside the dining room of the Science and Technology School at our UCLA (Universidad Centroccidental Lisandro Alvarado), just hours after it restarted academic activities. A female student suffered minor burns.

Those responsible for both incidents are still at large, and there’s no evidence so far that both cases are related. What these stories show is how easy is for someone to obtain material technically only available to the Security Services. There’s just a lot of tear gas circulating around the country, and it’s Venezuela, so of course some is going to end up in the worst of hands. (Well, worse than the hands they were already in.)

And, remember, it’s not likely to run out any time soon. The government has bought a lot of tear gas in the last few years. And I mean, a lot. If only Maduro imposed price controls on the stuff…then it’d disappear in a minute.