The elites just start disappearing and are replaced with body doubles.
The public doesn't know what's going on, so there can be no retaliation.
But the elites know what's going on.
How well are they sleeping, wondering which one of them will be the next to be executed and replaced with a body double without the public even knowing what's going on.
And they can't let the public know either, because no one would believe them if they started saying:
Hey, we, elites are being secretly killed off and replaced with body doubles.
kek