"It is obvious to keen observers that a coup détat is being attempted in Venezuela. The tactics are inspired by the Gene Sharp protocol. Sharp is a former US military officer, now professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts and author of an essay entitled From Dictatorship to Democracy. The essay provides a political framework as a method to undermine the stability of an established government that is regarded as not friendly to the United States."
It is these methods that are being employed by the opposition in Venezuela following the outcome of the presidential election of April 14, 2013, in which they were defeated by Nicolas Maduro.
There are five stages. They are De-legitimization, Warming Streets, Combination of various forms of struggle, and Institutional fracture.
De-legitimization: manipulation of antic-socialist or anti-populist prejudices, encouragement of advertising campaigns for press freedom, human rights and civil liberties. This has now entered an intense phase in Venezuela but is also being spread to international media."
But they are also using
Warming Streets: building street mobilization, development of a platform of struggle that globalizes political and social demands; generalization of all types of protests. This aspect, funded in part by external forces, including clandestine operations of US agencies, is fully documented in US communications revealed by Wiki-leaks."
Don't believe the manipulation.
http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/headline-Commentary%3A-The-real-meaning-of-the-protests-in-Venezuela-20370.html