'We Are Going To Take Over the Premises'

[brooklynite]

Politico

The Venezuelan crisis, a months-long standoff in which opposition forces have tried to wrest control of an economically spiraling country from the socialist president, is more than 2,000 miles away from the quiet environs of 30th and M streets in upscale Georgetown. But for the past three weeks, the conflict has erupted into its own pocket of chaos—one that reflects not only the unrest in its home country, but the bizarre gray area of Washington, D.C.’s diplomatic properties.

The Embassy of Venezuela’s previous occupants, the diplomatic corps of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, have been gone since April 24, after the White House revoked their status and ordered them to leave the building. They left—but not before inviting in a collection of activists as one last act of resistance from the embattled regime. For almost a month, the distinguished-looking five-story brick building has been occupied by more than three dozen activists from a collection of American anti-interventionist groups, cooking, sleeping and even watching “Game of Thrones” inside. By day, they hang banners from the windows and shout slogans through amplifiers.

Facing off against them have been Venezuelan émigrés outside the embassy, at times numbering in the hundreds, who support the government of U.S.-recognized President Juan Guaidó—and who claim the building belongs to them. Since last week, Venezuelans have been staying outside the building in tents, blocking the entrances to the embassy and at times confronting and harassing the leftist demonstrators face to face.

As the face-off drags on, attracting attention from U.S. and international outlets in Washington, an unanswered question looms over the street: When will the U.S.-recognized ambassador swoop in to take the building—and who will seize it for him?