By: Tavneet Khera
Venezuela is currently in the middle of a national crisis. President Nicolas Maduro is no longer being acknowledged as the “legitimate leader” of the country as American President Donald Trump has formally recognized National Assembly leader Juan Guaido as the country’s interim President. Several other countries, including Canada, Spain, Germany, France, Britain, Sweden, Denmark, Austria, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Poland and Portugal have lined up behind Guiado as nation’s legitimate leader. Thus far Maduro has retaliated by cutting ties with Washington and closing its embassy and all consulates in the US. The political divide has only added to the volatile situation, 10% of the Venezuelan population has been reported to have left the country.
Who is Juan Guaido? Mint Press News has reported that before January 22nd, 2019 “fewer than one in five Venezuelans had heard of Juan Guiado. The 35-year-old was an obscure character in a politically marginal far-right group closely associated with gruesome acts of street violence”. It was not until the 35-year-old received a phone call from US Vice President Mike Pence that he was thrust onto the international stage as the face of democratic restoration in Venezuela. Venezuela is known for its vast oil reserves and many journalists cannot help but to speculate about the succession of events. Washington has inserted itself right in the middle of this dialogue. The people of Venezuela are identifying as independent – they hardly have a voice amidst the political warfare.
Guiado has declared himself acting President in the capital of Caracas, further upsetting Maduro. Protests have been rampant, and the humanitarian crisis has worsened. Venezuela’s police elite Special Action Force, known as either FAES or the extermination group are racing into Caracas and attacking demonstrators and hunting Guiado’s supporters. FAES operates in several cities, “They seize you in a violent way, they treat you like the enemy. There is no law”. The country has also experienced rolling internet blackouts and gag orders significantly impacting Guiado’s attempts to address the nation and rally supporters. “The government, which has long clashed with private media outlets, has increased its effort to suppress news since the rise of Guiado”.
There are no signs of the crisis situation slowing down, and it’s apparent that the situation has only heightened with the presence of other political actors. Right now, the most important perspective to keep in mind is that the people of Venezuela need a solution.