BOGOTA, Colombia—Millions of Venezuelans were once again plunged into darkness this week due to nationwide blackouts, the latest reminder of the depths of their country’s prolonged economic and political crisis. The Venezuelan regime maintains that the national grid is being sabotaged, but experts say rampant corruption and mismanagement is causing the power failures.
Lights went out in Caracas at 4 p.m. on the afternoon of July 22, the first time the capital had been hit since March of this year. The subway grounded to a halt, water taps went dry, and key military bases fell into darkness as emergency lighting failed. State TV channels, usually a reliable 24-hour mouthpiece for Nicolás Maduro’s regime, were also off air, agencies reported.
