Venezuela Strike: Disappointment and Concerns After US Action
For years in venezuela, almost anytime the lights went out – a frequent occurrence – someone was likely to quip that the United States was behind it, preparing to swoop in to take out the president.
The oft-repeated wisecrack reflects a century of American intervention in Latin America as much as a decade of increasing political repression and economic devastation. But what was once a running joke has turned into reality, with a leadership change this past week that, though broadly welcomed, feels increasingly out of their hands.
On Jan. 3, the large-scale U.S. military strikes knocked out electricity in parts of Venezuela, as authoritarian leader Nicolás Maduro was whisked away on questionable legal grounds to face a battery of federal charges on U.S. soil.
Why We Wrote This
Euphoria frequently enough follows the fall of an unpopular leader. But in Venezuela, where the new, U.S.-backed president comes from the same political movement as ousted President nicolás Maduro, residents are unsure if the political rupture will herald true change.
The news of Mr. Maduro’s ouster was met by celebrations among the Venezuelan diaspora from Madrid to Mexico City. The response inside the country was more muted, as government repression accelerated following his capture. Even among Mr. Maduro’s harshest critics, the sense of initial jubilation has started to sour with fear that Venezuela could face more of the same – political repression, shortages of essential goods, human rights abuses - even with Mr.Maduro out of the picture.
Vice President and oil minister Delcy Rodríguez, part of a powerful faction that made up the Maduro regime, was sworn in as interim president Jan.3. That transition was dictated by the Venezuelan Constitution – but it surprised many when she was backed by the U.S. president. Donald Trump said in a press conference that Ms. rodríguez was “essentially willing to do what we think is necessary.”
Ms. Rodríguez, who initially called the U.S. management “extremists” who violated international law, changed her position a day after the strikes. Writing on social media Jan. 4, she declared, “We invite the U.S. government to collaborate with us on an agenda of cooperation.”
“Putting Delcy [Rodríguez] in charge is … just more of the same,” says a retired teacher, F.B.,who lives in the capital,Caracas. Like others in this story, she is identified by her initials to protect her safety amid escalating government repression. Ms. Rodríguez “played a part in getting our country to where it is indeed today. … Venezuela is destroyed.”
Who should lead the nation?
As Mr. Maduro was first narrowly elected president in 2013 following the death of his charismatic predecessor, Hugo Chávez, a long-divided Venezuelan op
The recent detention of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, while a symbolic victory for his opponents, may not fundamentally alter the country’s political landscape, according to analysts and observers on the ground.The move, orchestrated with the assistance of elements within the Venezuelan government, has led to the installation of Delcy Rodríguez, previously executive vice president, as a potential successor.
“There’s a certain satisfaction with Maduro’s detention, but we certainly know this just cut off one of Hydra’s heads,” says A.V., a young history professor in Caracas. With Ms. Rodríguez, the U.S. and Venezuela will be able to “maintain the illusion of following Venezuela’s Constitution, but in reality it’s just a change in CEO, the arrival of new investors, as the former ones” – cuba, Iran, and Russia – “were weakening,” he says.
Meanwhile, the security situation worsens in Venezuela. On Monday, armed civilian gangs loyal to Chavismo set up checkpoints across Caracas, stopping passersby at random to review their phones for photos or messages that might show support for Mr. Maduro’s capture, locals say.
Analysts say the U.S. might have wanted to find a partner within the existing government apparatus in Venezuela for multiple reasons. Members of Mr. Maduro’s regime hold power over the military, intelligence agencies, and the heavily armed paramilitary gangs. Relying on top regime power brokers was recommended to Mr. Trump by the Central Intelligence agency as a way to maintain stability after extricating Mr. Maduro,according to reporting by The Wall Street Journal.
Armed civilians set up checkpoints in Caracas, Venezuela, following the detention of President Nicolás Maduro.