CNBC: ‘There’s no turning back’: Venezuela’s Guaido remains defiant after failed attempt to recruit military
* “There’s no turning back,” Juan Guaido, opposition leader, said as he addressed thousands of supporters on the streets of Caracas on Wednesday.
* Maduro has accused protesters of “serious crimes” that would “not go unpunished.” He also repeated claims that the U.S. was plotting a coup against him.
* The United Nations has called on all sides to show “maximum restraint.”
Venezuelan opposition supporters gathered for a second day of mass protests against embattled President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday, less than 24 hours after violent clashes with pro-government forces.
“There’s no turning back,” Juan Guaido, opposition leader, said as he addressed thousands of supporters on the streets of Caracas on Wednesday.
The leader of the opposition-controlled National Assembly described the latest wave of anti-government demonstrations as an “irreversible process” and promised to continue protesting every day in order to “achieve freedom.”
Read more ....
WNU Editor: When Juan Guaido called for the military to join the opposition two days ago, I commented that it was too soon to launch such an operation .... Is A Coup Underway In Venezuela? (April 30, 2019). Sadly .... I was right. There are still too many in Venezuela who believe in the revolution (about a third of the population if not more), and are too dependent on the Maduro regime for their survival. It is going to take another year or two of suffering and hardship before the will of these supporters are finally broken, and it will only be after that is when many elements of the military will finally join the opposition. Bottom line .... President Trump is right, life is going to get worse in Venezuela.
More News On The Crisis In Venezuela
Venezuela crisis: Defiant Maduro appears with soldiers -- BBC
Venezuela: Maduro thanks military and denounces 'senseless coup-mongers and traitors' -- The Guardian
Venezuela's Maduro seeks to display military loyalty in political crisis -- Reuters
As Guaido admits he needs more military support, Trump warns of worse to come in Venezuela -- CNN
Venezuelan rights group says 4 dead in clashes amid opposition call for uprising -- CBC/AP
Venezuela crisis: Dozens injured in clashes in Caracas -- BBC
Maduro hangs on as Venezuelan protests peter out -- Reuters
Venezuela opposition seeks to maintain momentum against the government -- The Washington Post
5 comments:
Guaido was so naive to think that his western allies would guide and control his operations effectively. When was the last time the regime-changers in the west were successful? Libya? Ukraine? Even Guaido should be hoping for ANY outcome besides what happened in those places.
It's pretty clear that the color revolution strategy isn't foolproof anymore. The only things the west has to offer to these figures is favorable news coverage (in the west) and air power. And if the western public isn't in the mood to stomach yet another air war then the "massaged" news reports don't really matter, since they usually seem unable to influence the actual population in these targeted countries.
I'm not saying that Maduro is sitting peachy on his throne, but Guaido will not be the one to take it from him. He was sacrificed at the altar by his western backers who will walk away from their Venezuelan campaign unblemished, as the friendly controlled-media landscape gives them another free pass for their failed attempts. Meanwhile Guaido should be thinking about what his future looks like over the next year, and start making contingency plans on his own, given how serving the interests of a foreign master has turned out for him so far.
And do you think life will get better in Venezuela after a US-backed coup? If you think so you'd better review what happened in Iraq and Libya. Life in those countries is far worse after US-led interventions in those countries than it was before. If the US-backed coup succeeds, we'll have Libya-style chaos in the Western Hemisphere, which should not be something anyone would wish for.
It would be pretty hard for Trump to pin the fault on someone else for the inevitable wave of refugees any intervention would cause. That's why I don't see it escalating too much further.
Though it would a neocon/lib's wet dream to have a proper go at Venezuela ala Iraq/Libya, those were clearly far more "hands-on" operations (wars) than I believe Trump is willing to provide the hawks. That's why they're pushing their CIA puppet but aren't sending lethal aid to his militia or providing direct military support. Maybe they promised Guaido that under the former administration. Or maybe they knew that this tactic was a hail mary from the start, and simply sowing chaos was reason enough to throw Guiado to the dogs in the pursuit of it.
Either way, his days in Venezuela are surely numbered and in short order the friendly politicians and reporters are going to want nothing to do with him, because as long as THEY forget about the last time they failed a coup they can try it again somewhere else in a few years without consequence.
I can't wait to see what John Bolton's got in store for us after Iran! His show might get old, but it never gets cancelled!
I don't see Venezuela falling from internal pressures. I think a catalyst is needed from the outside as the Russians and Cubans (China!?) are propping up the failed administration. Sad for Venezuela.
In video today of Maduro addressing troops not a single one of the military people in uniform had their name tags on. Everyone was slick as far identifying tags were concerned.
JH
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