Venezuela VP blames 'extremist mafias' for grid failures amid sanctions

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez attributes ongoing electric system failures to foreign sanctions and 'extremist mafias,' framing sabotage as a political attack. The claim is unverified and part of a pattern of government blaming external actors for infrastructure woes. This matters as it signals potential escalation in domestic political rhetoric and possible crackdowns, while obscuring underlying grid investment and maintenance issues.