Venezuela’s latest power outage began Monday afternoon, causing widespread traffic jams and forcing travelers to walk as the nation’s rail system quit.
Venezuelans also lost access to running water and had difficulty buying food, as credit and debit cards became unusable.
Netblocks, an organization that monitors Internet usage across the globe, said Internet connectivity was down to 6% in Venezuela.
In the aftermath of the blackout, the government alleged foul play, claiming that an “electromagnetic attack” had struck a hydroelectric power plant.
On twitter, President Nicolas Maduro called the blackout a “new criminal attack against tranquility and peace of the homeland.”
The political opposition, however, argues that the power outage was caused by government failure.
“They tried to hide the tragedy with rations throughout the country, but the failure is evident: they destroyed the electrical system and have no answers,” wrote opposition leader Juan Guaido on Twitter.
“Venezuelans will not get used to this disaster,” he said.
In March, Venezuela suffered a similar blackout that impacted all of the country’s 23 states. Blackouts are common in some regions of the country.
In recent years, Venezuela has suffered protracted political and economic turmoil, with the nation experiencing high inflation and widespread shortages.
Guaido declared himself president in January, receiving support from over 50 countries but struggling in an attempt to oust Maduro.
