Venezuelan opposition leader calls for protests as Maduro offers a new dialogue

[oberliner]

Source: Washington Post

The man challenging President Nicolás Maduro’s hold on power called for nationwide protests on Wednesday to intensify pressure on a leader clinging to the presidency but increasingly abandoned by Western governments.

Juan Guaidó, the head of the opposition-controlled National Assembly who declared himself Venezuela’s rightful president last week, sought to maintain the momentum of his movement as Maduro’s government struck back, ordering that Guaidó’s assets be frozen.

The opposition leader shrugged off the government’s move and called on Venezuelans to step outside their homes and offices for a midday protest. “This January 30, we Venezuelans will unite in the streets peacefully to back our National Assembly, the opening of a path for humanitarian aid, a transitional government and free elections,” Guaidó tweeted several hours before the protest.

The Trump administration is leading an international campaign to drive the leftist Venezuelan leader from power, embracing Guaidó’s arguments that Maduro began a second term after an election riddled with fraud and years of increasingly authoritarian rule that plunged this oil-rich country into an economic and humanitarian catastrophe.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/maduro-offers-dialogue-to-venezuelan-opposition-and-warns-americans-against-a-new-vietnam-in-latin-america/2019/01/30/8e7076fc-241a-11e9-b5b4-1d18dfb7b084_story.html

[ZeroSomeBrains]

1. A negotiated settlement to this situation is needed

Venezuela is not currently capable of feeding their citizens and there is corruption in the government. With that being said I don't support coups especially one being supported by the fascist Bolsonaro in Brazil. Negotiations between the current government and the legislature needs to happen. No 5000 troops to Columbia. We can't start yet another war.

[oberliner]

2. That may be where things are headed

[DetlefK]

3. There is no legislature. Maduro's Supreme Court has declared the legislature illegitimate.

The de-facto role of parliament in Venezuela is currently shared by the Maduro-controlled Supreme Court and the Maduro-controlled constitutional assembly.

For all legal purposes, the actual elected parliament, the National Assembly, is illegitimate and powerless.

So, with whom is Maduro supposed to negotiate?

[ZeroSomeBrains]

4. You would negotiate with the opposition parties

There are many of them in Venezuela and some of them had been banned from running. Removing the bans on those parties and having other opposition figures who favor dialogue is a solution to the problem. I don't think overthrowing the government is a good move and could lead to a civil war.

Maybe having a Secretary of State actually looking to make peace instead of just supporting a coup would be a positive step. As a student of history I know that our coups of Latin American countries don't do too well with the people living there.

[EX500rider]

5. Actually if the last election was illegitimate (and it was) ...

...the Venz constitution calls for the Speaker (Juan Guaidó) to assume power till new elections are held, that is not really a coup.