Shadow Over the Grid: A Surge of Sabotage in Venezuela’s Electrical Infrastructure

The Resistance Hub

In early April 2025, Venezuelan authorities announced the arrest of three individuals accused of involvement in a “terrorist sabotage” operation targeting the country’s electrical power grid. These arrests follow a troubling pattern of attacks on critical infrastructure in Venezuela, rekindling a longstanding debate about the intersection of internal dissent, foreign influence, and national vulnerability.

While the government attributes these acts to political sabotage aimed at destabilizing the Maduro administration, the precise nature and motives behind the sabotage remain murky. As tensions escalate in the lead-up to Venezuela’s upcoming elections, these incidents may represent a wider strategy of asymmetric resistance—or a bid to reassert control under the guise of external threats.

Historical Context: Venezuela’s Vulnerable Grid

Venezuela’s energy infrastructure has long been a point of contention, decay, and crisis. The country is heavily reliant on the Guri Dam, one of the largest hydroelectric power plants in the world, for its electricity. But systemic underinvestment, corruption, and lack of maintenance have left the grid fragile and highly centralized, making it an ideal target for sabotage.

Between 2019 and 2021, the country experienced several nationwide blackouts, prompting the government to blame the United States and domestic opposition groups. Although some observers attributed the outages to technical failure and mismanagement, reports of damaged transformers, firebombings, and explosives at key substations raised legitimate concerns about intentional disruption.

The events of 2025 seem to follow this established pattern, but with renewed intensity.

The April Arrests: What We Know

On April 11, 2025, Venezuela’s Ministry of the Interior reported that three suspects were detained in connection with coordinated acts of sabotage. The suspects allegedly attempted to disrupt service at multiple points in the power grid, using “foreign-supplied technology” and explosives. The statement was accompanied by photos of seized devices and surveillance equipment, though no independent verification has been made available.

Interior Minister Remigio Ceballos labeled the group “terrorist operatives,” and claimed they had links to anti-government networks supported by international actors. “This is not just vandalism,” Ceballos stated. “It’s a carefully orchestrated plan to plunge the country into chaos.”

No names have been released, and few technical details about the alleged sabotage have emerged, fueling both skepticism and concern.

Government Narrative vs. Ground Truth

The Maduro government has consistently framed such attacks as part of a broader “economic war” waged by imperialist powers and their proxies. Officials frequently claim these acts are meant to erode public trust in state institutions and derail upcoming political events.

However, critics argue that the government uses sabotage claims to mask deep structural failures in the energy sector. “Whenever the lights go out, it’s sabotage,” one Caracas-based academic quipped. “But when it’s poor planning, theft, or a lack of spare parts—it’s silence.”

Still, the recent uptick in kinetic tactics, including explosive devices and apparent insider access, suggests that not all incidents are mere excuses. Venezuela’s power grid is indeed a soft target—vast, remote, and under-guarded. It would not take a state-sponsored actor to breach it.

A Tactic of Irregular Warfare?

If these incidents are in fact acts of sabotage rather than scapegoating, they align with an evolving pattern of irregular warfare in Latin America. Unlike full-blown insurgency, sabotage operations require minimal manpower and can be executed without prolonged exposure. This makes them ideal for non-state actors, foreign proxies, or even factions within the state.

Sabotage can achieve multiple goals:

• Undermining state legitimacy: Blackouts sow public frustration and discredit the ruling government.
• Economic pressure: Interruptions in power damage industry and accelerate inflation.
• Information disruption: Power outages cut off digital access, complicating coordination, communication, and media narratives.

By keeping attacks deniable and low-profile, actors can achieve high strategic return at minimal cost.

Venezuela in a Regional Pattern

The incidents in Venezuela are not isolated. Across Latin America, critical infrastructure is increasingly being targeted in acts of sabotage. From pipeline punctures in Colombia to telecom disruptions in Mexico, adversaries are finding new ways to shape outcomes below the threshold of conventional warfare.

In March 2025, Bolivia reported a string of attacks on oil transport routes near the Peruvian border. In February, Ecuador’s state-owned electric company said it was hit by coordinated arson attacks on substations in Quito. These cases bear striking resemblance to the Venezuelan scenario—not only in method but also in how governments have responded: with accusations, arrests, and little transparency.

It remains to be seen whether these are copycat attacks, loosely connected insurgent tactics, or signs of a regional trend.

International Dimensions: The Geopolitics of Blackouts

While there is no concrete evidence of foreign backing in Venezuela’s most recent sabotage incidents, the political narrative from Caracas squarely points fingers at external enemies. U.S. sanctions, Colombian paramilitaries, and European intelligence services have all been cited in official rhetoric as potential instigators.

Though such claims often serve domestic propaganda, the strategic logic is sound. Disabling Venezuela’s power grid weakens the state’s ability to project authority and hampers its oil-based economy. It also sets the stage for election-related unrest, which foreign actors may find useful—either to delegitimize outcomes or to fuel change.

Cyber elements may also play a role. Venezuela has suffered cyber intrusions in the past, and power infrastructure is notoriously vulnerable to cyber-physical attacks. In a 2022 report, cybersecurity firm Dragos warned that Latin America’s energy grids were among the least defended in the Western Hemisphere.

The convergence of digital and physical sabotage is no longer theoretical—it’s here.

Civilian Impact and Public Sentiment

Beyond the politics, ordinary Venezuelans continue to suffer. Blackouts compromise medical care, disrupt food supply chains, and erode access to water—many systems rely on electric pumps. During past grid failures, hospitals ran on failing backup generators, and grocery store cold chains collapsed within hours.

The psychological toll is also severe. Constant uncertainty breeds fatigue, frustration, and distrust. While some citizens blame opposition groups for provoking chaos, others see the hand of government failure. In the absence of reliable data, rumors and fear fill the void.

The Road Ahead: Power, Protest, and Political Tension

With national elections scheduled for later this year, infrastructure will become both a tool and a target in Venezuela’s contested political terrain. The government may increase surveillance and military presence at grid facilities, while opposition groups—both peaceful and militant—may view further disruptions as leverage.

More broadly, Venezuela exemplifies how sabotage can be both an act of desperation and an instrument of strategy. Whether driven by ideology, foreign policy, or survival, these incidents underscore the fragility of centralized systems and the growing relevance of irregular tactics in the modern era.

Final Thoughts: Signals from the Shadows

Sabotage is often framed as the weapon of the weak—but in a fractured, multipolar world, it may simply be the next phase of power politics. Venezuela’s blackout battles serve as a warning: the frontline of modern conflict is increasingly infrastructural, deniable, and close to home.

As we track these developments, we must ask not only who benefits but also why such tactics work.