
U.S. Recognizes Opposition Leader Guaido to Replace Venezuela's Maduro - rfinney
https://text.npr.org/s.php?sId=687643405
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yholio
Things are precipitating to either a civil war or a fall for Maduro and a
return to democracy. Unlike the Chavez years, the regime has lost the support
of the majority of the population, but nonetheless there is a strong loyalist
kernel. Maybe a quarter to a third of the people still support Maduro, either
because they profit directly from their position in the party cleptocracy he
instituted or because they remember the "good" Chavez years of high oil
revenues and generous social spending and fear that a regime switch has the
potential to make things ever worse for them.

It's essentially a class warfare in a highly divided society, that was
political and is turning bloody. As always, authoritarians and populists very
skillfully exploit such situations to get into power. The corollary is that it
could happen anywhere similar conditions exist, like high inequality and
dependence on mineral exports. Russia?

~~~
omegaworks
Only 36% of US citizens support Trump[1] and yet we don't see calls for
deposing him from abroad. We don't see sanctions freezing the assets of US-
based multinational corporations because Trump has shut down the US
government[2].

This is essentially a coup. Recognizing an unelected oligarch is a
continuation of the US's policy of undemocratic meddling in latin american
countries.

1\. [https://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/trump-approval-
falls...](https://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/trump-approval-falls-
to-36-percent-in-new-poll-1430479939914)

2\.
[https://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/14239](https://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/14239)

~~~
tim333
"Guaidó was elected President of the National Assembly of Venezuela in
December 2018, and was sworn in on 5 January 2019"

He seems as elected as Maduro.

~~~
AnimalMuppet
Well, yes, he's elected. He's not elected as President of Venezuela, though.

~~~
tim333
Well, quoting Trump's statement:

>In its role as the only legitimate branch of government duly elected by the
Venezuelan people, the National Assembly invoked the country's constitution to
declare Nicolas Maduro illegitimate, and the office of the presidency
therefore vacant.

~~~
omegaworks
It's one of those questions: do we believe the words of a notorious liar when
he asserts his view of Venezuela's "legitimate branch of government," or do we
believe the Venezuelan people?

Is the power to choose their country's president held by the people or by the
regional superpower?

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andrenth
Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Paraguay have all
recognized Guaidó as president.

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stuaxo
The US can't stop meddling in South America.

~~~
nickelcitymario
It's not just the US. They weren't even the first. If I read the news reports
accurately, Canada made the move first.

Look, I know we all Trump. I'm with ya. But that doesn't mean that every
single decision his government makes is the wrong call. "Even a broken clock
is right twice a day", yada yada.

By all accounts, Madura is an unelected tyrant responsible for the deaths of
several protesters. I'm not there, so I can't say if these accounts are
accurate. But there certainly seems to be an international consensus.

I don't think this action has any similarity to, say, the US's support in the
80s of the Sandinistas, or their involvement in the brutal drug wars, etc.

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onetimemanytime
and it so begins...might e the right" move for the people as these guys have
failed miserably but...we know. Anyway, sometimes you have to bite the bullet,
people will die from inaction as well (starving, disease, crime etc)

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_reserves_in_Venezuela](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_reserves_in_Venezuela)
They apparently more oil any other country. Not as easy to access as or
quality like Saudi Arabia but still, that's an amazing asset to work with.

