Guaido's uprising seems to have flatlined. What's next for Venezuela? [View all]
Source: The Guardian
Guaidó's uprising seems to have flatlined. What's next for Venezuela?
Nicolás Maduro retains power and support from countrys military top brass but the opposition challenge is not dead
Tom Phillips in Mexico City and Joe Parkin Daniels in Bogotá
Wed 1 May 2019 19.53 BST Last modified on Wed 1 May 2019 21.00 BST
When Venezuelas Juan Guaidó appeared outside one of the most important military installations in Caracas on Tuesday flanked by defecting soldiers toting assault rifles, many supporters hoped the game was finally up for Nicolás Maduro and his embattled regime.
The time is now, Guaidó announced in his dramatic pre-dawn declaration, calling on Venezuelas armed forces to turn on their Chavista commander-in-chief.
But they did not.
Maduro remains in power and most of Venezuelas military top brass has pledged loyalty to Hugo Chávezs unpopular successor. And Guaidós attempt to spark a nationwide uprising appears to have flatlined at least for now.
Clearly this was a failure in the sense that this left the opposition weaker than they were before, said David Smilde, a Venezuela expert from the Washington Office on Latin America advocacy group.
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Read more:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/01/venezuela-coup-protests-what-happens-next-guaido-maduro-latest