Giovanni Nani denied that students are being expelled from the Arturo Michelena University for dissenting from the Maduro administration. He did say that the students were summoned by the university’s Legal Department due to messages spread on social media and WhatsApp in which attacks were promised against him, the institution, his wife and teachers.
The rector of the Arturo Michelena University (UAM) of Carabobo state, Giovanni Nani, denied on the night of Monday, August 19 in a video broadcast on social networks that students and teachers be expelled from that school for having marched against President Nicolás Maduro after the presidential elections, in which the CNE declared him the winner of the elections.
Nani accused journalist Orlando Avendaño – who is under investigation by the Prosecutor’s Office after publishing a series of messages where he mentions political leader María Corina Machado – of being “irresponsible” for making a “cowardly” complaint via social media accusing the UAM and Nani of having expelled students and teachers.
“As rector, I must say that this is a lie, it is false,” said the rector.
In his opinion, what is being evidenced with this type of messages on social networks spread by Avendaño “and a group of influencers” is a “systematic attack” in order to generate “hotbeds of violence” in the country’s private universities, which is why he considered this type of messages against him “not coincidental” and said that, after having been the focus of this situation, they pointed to the rector of the UCAB, Arturo Peraza.
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“For what purpose? Because the universities are at peace. Venezuela is at peace and the students are calm and committed to peace, but this X media sector does not want there to be peace in the universities,” said Nani.
He regretted the acts of violence that occurred in Valencia after the elections and warned that the Arturo Michelena University itself was a victim of this scourge through social networks and WhatsApp messaging services.
In this regard, he warned that Avendaño’s message in X generated responses of “hate” against him and to the detriment of UAM professors from students and said that, although students are not punished for thinking differently or for supporting another political group, what is criticizable and punishable are the attacks they have received.
“All the authorities have different positions and we get along well. We have been working in perfect harmony for years,” he said.
He also highlighted that a WhatsApp group was found in which messages of aggression against him, his wife, the institution and teachers were evident, the latter being pointed out by name and surname as being affiliated with a certain political tendency and threatening to harm him; he made an exposition by showing the messages in the video both on social networks and on the messaging service.
“Our intention was to handle it internally. We called them to speak with them, to make them see that violence has no place in the University and that they can think differently, but not threaten professors, set vehicles on fire or harass anyone. I must say, we wanted to handle it internally but thanks to the irresponsible message of Mr. Avendaño, we are forced to present these messages of violence and harassment that we have received since July 29,” said the rector of the Arturo Michelena University.
He called on parents to be more aware of what their children write on social media and clarified that if the students were called by the Legal Department of that school it was “to talk and protect them and handle it internally.” Therefore, he pointed out that if the young people say they do not know why they were summoned, he clarifies that it is because “most likely a crime has been committed.”
He said that Orlando Avendaño should apologize to the UAM students and professors for having generated a wave of violence against the professors, the institution and himself.
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Previously, the journalist cited had filed a complaint in which he accused Giovanni Nani of continuing to threaten students for dissenting from the current administration of the country and warned that several had been blocked from accessing the Arturo Michelena University system for allegedly criticizing the rector.
He also said that a design professor was expelled for questioning Nani’s position in the run-up to the presidential elections, who was quickly replaced by another; as well as another professor who questioned the rector’s projection of declaring Nicolás Maduro the winner of the elections.
«Institutional persecution is not new. There are reports of students being persecuted by authorities after questioning the university. Last year, a student was academically «disqualified», blocked from the system and accused of «insulting the rector», an internal rule recently applied within the University —and the consequence of his lack is immediate expulsion—, after questioning the administration,» wrote Avendaño.
He also accused him of “giving away doctoral degrees” to government officials, pointing to the case of TSJ judge Carmen Alves, nominated by a committee in which Nani was a member.
Today Orlando Avendaño owes an apology to the students of the Arturo Michelena University.
That is the problem with constant defamation: lies, like this man’s, always come to light.
The truth has triumphed!
We have closed this cycle and now we can continue… pic.twitter.com/Hg1aJFX75B
— Giovanni Nani (@nani_giovanni) August 20, 2024
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