Dancing in the Streets January 25
“Viva Venezeula!“ I shout to my Venezuelan friend Chimene, but she hushes me for my jinx. Her countrymen have seen their hopes dashed too many times.
Venezuelans are not yet dancing in the streets, but today is their first taste of hope in a very long time, as Juan Guiado has declared himself interim-president and taken an oath of office. This particular day, January 23rd, is not an accident.
No one I have talked to has ever heard of Guiado, yet he managed to get voted into the legislature, and he is apparently endorsed by all major opposition groups in the country. Indeed, the Organization of American States has formally recognized him. Clearly, the neighbors knew this was coming. Moreover, unlike previous gatherings, the throng of protestors have not been attacked by security forces, as usual. If the army were to jump Nicolas Maduro’s foundering ship, then change is at hand.
Simon Bolivar was the Generalisimo of the original liberation from Spain in 1811. At first, the land of Rio Orinoco was part of Gran Colombia, and Caracas reported to Bogota. Full independence was achieved twenty years later, but bloody civil war did not win liberty for the people. Bolivar, by 1830, was a geriatric invalid with dyspepsia, yet he was unceremoniously booted out of the ungrateful nation.
A string of military Caudillos proceeded to establish a classic autocracy, of the banana-republic mold, which lasted for more than 120 years. The strongman ethos did not end until 1958—January 23rd to be exact—the birth of democratic rule in Venezuela. Trinidad and Tobago followed suit four years later.
With a diving regional petro-economy in the 1980’s and ’90’s, there were major riots in Caracas and at least two military coup attempts, which featured a daring, young, pie-face officer named Hugo Chavez. In 1993, duly-elected President Carlos Perez was impeached for massive embezzlement and corruption, causing the Caudillos to pursue another tactic with the nomination of Chavez, who was popularly elected in 1998. He promptly abolished the constitution and declared the “Bolivarian Revolution,“ which undoubtedly created brief alarm in the streets of La Paz.
Nicolas Maduro is the inept successor to the demagogic Chavez. The country has gone from filthy rich to dirt poor, and the violent suppression of opponents has earned widespread condemnation. Guaido’s tacit coup is supported by the US, Colombia, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Peru, Ecuador, and Guatemala. Those opposed are nations famous for revolutions—Russia (with a 10-billion-dollar investment), Cuba, and, naturally, Bolivia. T&T remains neutral for the moment, although a government representative was sent to Guiado’s swearing-in. According to a Newsday interview with Stuart Young, Minister of National Security, TT “is not getting involved in Venezuela’s turmoil.“
Maduro has just closed the US embassy and consulates, but he is too late, as the US government is already closed for business. All Americans have been ordered out of the country by Sunday. The diplomats may have to fly commercial.