By Daniel DePetris
2019 was a banner year for Juan Guaido, a relatively obscure Venezuelan lawmaker who announced to a crowd of thousands in the heart of Caracas that he, and he alone, was Venezuela’s new interim president. The United States and dozens of other countries in Europe and Latin America quickly followed up with official recognition for the fresh-faced head of the Venezuelan National Assembly. Nicolás Maduro, the man who took over the presidency after Hugo Chavez’s death, was for all intents and purposes relegated to the status of an isolated despot who had no legitimate claim to the Miraflores palace.
2022, however, has brought Guaido and his international supporters back down to earth, with the opposition ditching his government in a 72-28 vote. Venezuela’s anti-Maduro coalition is notoriously fractious, but they are apparently unified enough to make a change at the top.
Much has changed since Guaido became the public face of the Venezuelan democracy movement. At that time, Maduro was often depicted as a spent force. He was a virtual pariah in Latin America, had dismal approval ratings, and constantly had to wonder whether his poor performance would eventually lead key members of the military to switch sides or take matters into their own hands.
This piece was originally published in Spectator on December 31, 2022. Read more HERE.