Venezuela experienced a widespread power outage, affecting the entire country, as announced by the government on Friday. President Nicolas Maduro's administration quickly pointed fingers at the opposition, alleging sabotage without providing any evidence to support their claims.

The capital city of Caracas was plunged into darkness at dawn, along with multiple other regions across the country. Maduro took to social media, declaring his solidarity with the people in their battle against the alleged criminal attack on the national electricity system. He referred to the incident as a desperate act of fascism and vowed to overcome it together.

Authorities reported that all 24 states in Venezuela had encountered total or partial power failures. However, by late afternoon, power slowly began to be restored in some areas of Caracas, as well as in Tachira and Merida. Yet, intermittent power supply continued in other regions.

Addressing the situation, Maduro stated, "We are normalizing, regularizing, step by step." He further claimed that the blackout was a revengeful and hate-driven attack orchestrated by fascist elements supported by political sectors pretending to be the opposition. Maduro also alleged the involvement of the United States in the sabotage.

While power failures are not uncommon in Venezuela, observers argue that issues such as corruption, underfunding, and poor maintenance of the power grid are more likely culprits for localized blackouts. The government's immediate attribution of sabotage to opposition or international supporters is a standard practice, as witnessed in previous incidents.

This power outage follows the disputed presidential election on July 28, which saw Maduro declared as the winner amidst accusations of election misconduct by opposition leaders. Maria Corina Machado, one of the opposition figures, claims that the government lost the election, citing polling-station level data to support her assertion.

Drawing parallels with a major blackout in 2019, which also occurred after disputed elections, Communications Minister Freddy Nanez mentioned the "anti-coup protocols" implemented since the July 28 vote. However, he failed to provide substantial evidence linking the opposition to the recent power outage.

Meanwhile, the opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia faced his third summons in court on Friday. He has been accused of "forgery" and other crimes related to the release of allegedly fraudulent data. Venezuelan authorities have warned that an arrest warrant will be issued if he fails to present himself. Gonzalez has criticized the attorney general for pursuing politically motivated charges and for not upholding due process.

President Maduro has vowed to imprison both Gonzalez and Maria Corina Machado, another opposition leader who was disqualified from running in the presidential election. These threats come in response to the widespread protests that erupted after the election, leading to several fatalities, including two soldiers.

With the United States, European Union, and numerous Latin American countries refusing to recognize Maduro's victory without detailed voting results, the political crisis in Venezuela continues to deepen. As the power outage further challenges the nation's stability, Venezuelans hope for a swift resolution to their ongoing political and economic struggles.