Urging the Security Council and other U.N. states to “pick sides,” 55-year-old Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asked the Council to reject the Venezuelan government of socialist dictator Victor Maduro. Running the country into the ground since the death of late President Hugo Chavez March 5, 2013, Venezuela has been in chaos with anti-Maduro protesters demanding the dictator step down. President Donald Trump recognized Jan. 24 Venezuela’s 35-year-old President of the National Assembly Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s new president. Russian President Vladimir Putin recognizes Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as the country’s only lawful president. Putin said the same thing about Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych before a Feb. 22, 2014 coup ousted him from Kiev. Putin’s invested billions in Venezuela’s oil infrastructure, expecting to keep Maduro in power.
Maduro’s continuation of the Chavez legacy has left Venezuela in shambles, with inflation and currency devaluation crushing the economy. Poverty and mass misery have driven hordes of Venezuelans to seek asylum in other countries, especially the United States. Yet Putin thinks nothing of backing Maduro 100% to beat back the popular uprising seeking new leadership embodied in Juan Guaido. Calling Venezuela’s “socialist experiment” another abysmal failure, Pompeo asked the Security Council to take sides. Like Stalinist states of North Korea and Cuba, the communist experiments lead to poverty and mass starvation. “Now it is time for every other nations to pick a side . . .Either you stand with the forces of freedom, or you’re in league with Maduro and his mayhem,” Pompeo told the U.N. Security Council. Pompeo wants Russia and China to back Venezuela’s democratic transition.
Russia sent hundreds of mercenaries AKA the Wagner Group to beat back a possible U.S.-sponsored coup to seat Guaido in power. Maduro has the backing of the Venezuelan military, not to mention Russian mercenaries to preserve his power. If Guaido wants to force Maduro out, he’s going to have to convince the Venezuelan military to break ranks, a tall order to fill. Maduro offered to meet with Guaido, but like the late Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, he needs to be careful not to accept Maduro’s trap. Khashoggi walked into the Saudi embassy Oct. 22, 2018 in Istanbul and never walked out. Guaido has the same risks trying to meet Maduro. “We call on all members of the Security Council to support Venezuela’s democratic transition and interim President Guaido’s role,” Vice President Mike Pence told the Security Council, infuriating Russia and Venezuela.
Joining the U.S. in backing Guaido as president, Britain, France, Germany and Spain expressed support for Maduro’s resignation. Europe called for news elections in eight days or face rejction the Maduro government. “Europe is giving us eight days? Where to you get that you have the power to establish a deadline or an ultimatum to sovereign people/” said Venezuela Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza. Arreaza has appealed to Russia and China to veto any attempt at regime change in Caracas. Russia and China are 100% committed to the Maduro regime, rejecting the U.S. and EU demand for Maduro to quit. Whatever the anarchy in Caracas, no popular uprising warrants regime change, even where the people are starving. Arreaza offered to meet with President Trump to work out any issues preventing the U.S. from accepting Maduro as Venezuela’s lawful leader.
Maduro won reelection May 20, 2018, despite opposition claims of widespread voter suppression and fraud. Hundreds-of-thousands of Venezuelan protesters take to the streets of Caracas to demand Maduro step down. Getting financial assistance from Russia isn’t enough to turn around the failing Venezuelan economy, despite holding the largest oil reserves in the Western Hemisphere. As long as the military backs Maduro, there’s little the U.S. or EU can do to get Maduro to step down. “We woke up today with nothing less than the full support of the European community,” said Guaido, knowing that it won’t remove Maduro from the presidential palace. Unless the U.S. is willing to commit troops to seize power in Venezuela, it’s doubtful Maduro will give up power. “Several European countries have been in touch with us and going to support the entry of humanitarian aid . . . We continue adding countries to this great effort,” said Guaido, knowing its only symbolic.
U.S. and EU nations can back Guaido all they want but they can’t get rid of Maduro without force. Venezuela’s military shows no support for Guaido, sticking with Maduro, just like they did Chavez before his death. Pence can tell the Security Council to pick sides but it has no binding effect on Maduro’s government. Once Trump backed Guaido Jan. 24, Maduro ordered U.S. diplomatic personnel to leave Caracas. Any attempt at regime change in the Security Council would be met with a swift veto by Russia or China, leaving Maduro in power. Unless Guiado can convince the military to back him as president, there’s no way to get rid of Maduro, short to sending U.S. troops to Caracas. Since Russia’s already sent in the Wagner Group to protect Maduro, the U.S. has run out of options short of military force. Trump isn’t likely to back military intervention in Venezuela.
