Venezuelan leader says foes sabotaging power grid

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  Venezuela's interim President Nicolas Maduro smiles as he's surrounded by supporters during a campaign rally in Sabaneta, Barinas state, Venezuela, Tuesday, April 2, 2013. Late President Hugo Chavez's chosen successor, Nicolas Maduro is competing against opposition leader Henrique Capriles in the April 14 presidential election. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)The Associated Press

CARACAS, Venezuela –  Interim President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday charged that allies of Venezuela's opposition are sabotaging the country's power grid ahead of this month's presidential election.

Maduro ordered the military to safeguard power stations across the country to prevent sabotage ahead of the April 14 vote pitting him against opposition leader Henrique Capriles.

"I have ordered the militarization of all the country's electricity facilities and elaboration of a special protection plan," Maduro told supporters at a campaign rally in the city of San Carlos.

Maduro said government adversaries have infiltrated Corpoelec, the state-run power company, and he announced that some of its employees would be investigated for allegedly cooperating with opposition groups bent on sabotaging the grid.

"Those employees who are conspiring against the people will go to jail," Maduro said.

Government opponents, he added, are leading "an economic and electrical war against the people."

Maduro's statements came a day after outages knocked out power in central Aragua state and several districts of Caracas, Venezuela's capital.

The Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation led by Rafael Larios, Aragua's top prosecutor, shortly after Maduro spoke to his supporters.

"There will be technical inspections of Corpoelec's installations with sabotage experts," the state-run AVN news agency quoted Larios as saying.

Military officers will also participate in the investigation, Larios said.

Despite billions of dollars of investment over the last decade, regions throughout this oil-rich South American country have struggled with blackouts in recent years.

Opposition politician Delsa Solorzano rejected Maduro's accusations, saying that the government is to blame for the blackouts.

Power plants are not producing sufficient electricity and many transmission lines are faulty due to lack of investment and maintenance, Solorzano said in a telephone interview after listening to Maduro's remarks.

"Electricity consumption has increased as the population has increased and there has not been sufficient investment," said Solorzano, a member of Capriles' campaign staff. "Instead of resolving the problem, he's is lying and trying to fool the people."

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Christopher Toothaker on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ctoothaker

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Venezuelan voices: Life after Hugo Chavez

CARACAS, Venezuela –  Thoughts of Venezuelans two days after the death of President Hugo Chavez:

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"We've lost one of the greatest men of all time. ... It's a tragedy for Venezuela, especially the poor." — Humberto Vasquez, a 47-year-old primary school teacher who waited 10 hours to view the leader's body.

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"I love Chavez and always will, but I'm tired. I really wanted to see him, but I have three kids at home who need me." — Yajira Molina, a 23-year-old waitress and single mother who decided to go back home after she waited for three hours and still saw thousands of people ahead of her in the line.

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"We must think about the future and how we are going to guarantee the continuity of the revolution." — Rolando Tarazon, street vendor who was waiting with his wife to see Chavez's body.

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"I come saying that as of Mr. Chavez that he hasn't mattered for a while, since December really, and that what is important is his legacy and his legacy of hate, violence, confrontation, an economy in an almost terminal state, insecurity, awful relations with the international community." — Diego Arria, former Venezuelan ambassador to the United Nations.

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"We will put Nicolas Maduro in the presidency. That was the order of my comandante, and like soldiers of the fatherland we must follow orders." — Noris Estacio, a 46-year-old teacher.

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"He acted like no other president. He opened our eyes. We were tricked by all the previous governments that never took the poor into account." — Juana Gutierrez, a 50-year-old national library employee standing outside the National Pantheon, where the remains of Simon Bolivar are kept.

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Associated Press writers Christopher Toothaker, Jorge Rueda and Eduardo Castillo contributed to this report.

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