It was the kind of incredible days we’re used to: at dawn, spectacular and hopeful news; at sunset, confusion and defeat. While night falls, Guaidó appears at the brink of jail and Maduro looks weaker and stronger at once. Let’s try to make sense of this, now.
Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela were supposed to form a big, powerful country. That was the original project of Miranda and Bolívar, but it never had real possibilities. On April 30th, 1826, the dream would be over.
After Guaidó's call for rebellion, protests swept across most of the country, and repression, mostly carried out by armed civilians and the National Guard, left dozens of citizens injured. The Lima Group issued a statement supporting Guaidó and urging Maduro to leave power peacefully. After his release from house arrest, Leopoldo López and his family were received as guests at the Chilean embassy. U.S. officials claimed that Maduro's exit was agreed between three regime authorities and that he was planning to head to Havana but Russia convinced him to remain in Caracas.
Guaidó announced "the beginning of the end of usurpation" accompanied by Leopoldo López from La Carlota airbase, after National Guard officers rose against the regime. Protests erupt in several cities. Earlier, regime spokespeople attempted to minimize the incident but are now silent. The international community congratulates soldiers for supporting the Constitution and democracy.
Caretaker President Guaidó and his team are working hard for the march on May 1st, understanding it’ll be a crucial date. Three months ago, we felt we were going well, then we felt we were going OK but too slow… now, we just feel stuck.
The recent deportation of Swedish reporter Annika H. Rothstein brings attention to the legal status for foreign journalists who want to cover Venezuela. The regime has its excuses to stop foreign eyes to see what’s happening.
On Sunday, Spain will hold general elections to see if the socialists still have support to rule, but for the first time in years, the outcome of the chavista revolution is not a central issue in the debate between Spanish parties.
The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Jorge Arreaza and judge Carol Padilla. The regime arbitrarily detained lawmaker Gilber Caro again. Juan Guaidó continues his national tour in Aragua. A boat that sailed from Sucre to Trinidad y Tobago sank en route, nine people were rescued but 21 are still missing. Russia says they're outraged by U.S. sanctions against Arreaza.
Truly understanding the nature of conflict is quite hard when looking from the distance. This is what happens with so many people in Europe or North America, when they fall into binary thinking and they explain to Venezuelans what is happening in their own country. Even in post-conflict societies like Northern Ireland.
While the world talks about progress, we look at the everyday reality of a malaria epidemic in Venezuela and how illegal mining and negligence made it the biggest public health emergency in the country.
We’ve been able to hang on for 21 years in one of the craziest media landscapes in the world. We’ve seen different media outlets in Venezuela (and abroad) closing shop, something we’re looking to avoid at all costs. Your collaboration goes a long way in helping us weather the storm.