It’s May Day in Venezuala in every sense of the word.
May Day, May 1, is the holiday created to celebrate the international working class, and “Mayday” is the international radio distress signal. Venezuela is in distress.
Yesterday opposition leader Juan Guaidó called on the Venezuelan armed forces to abandon the government of Nicholas Maduro–which did not happen. About 100 people were injured as Guaidó supporters clashed with police.
In Washington, the Trump administration’s campaign to replace Maduro’s government also confronted opposition. A pro-Maduro group, many of them Americans, were holed up in the Venezuelan Embassy on 30th Street, singing “We Shall Not Be Moved.” Guaidó supporters rallied outside, chanting “Invaders, invaders, invaders” and called for their removal. The two groups were separated by barricades and a line of impassive Secret Service officers.
Kevin Zeese, leader of the demonstrators inside the Embassy, told me he expects that the police, under orders from the State Department, will attempt to take control of the Embassy at some point. Last week Elliott Abrams, Trump’s special envoy to Venezuela, said the protesters were “clearly breaking the law.” As of Wednesday morning, no action has been taken against them.
In Caracas, Guaidó’s mentor, opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, made a brief appearance to support the call for rebellion and then took refuge in the Chilean and then Spanish Embassies, a telling indicator that Guaidó’s supporters do not expect to be in control any time soon.
By evening Maduro declared “victory,” and Guaidó called for a mass demonstration today. Maduro called for his own demonstration and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the U.S. military action was “possible.”
While the situation is fluid, the position of the Trump administraiton and Guaidó seems weak. Pompeo’s talk of U.S. military intervention, something the White House hoped to avoid, is another sign that U.S. policy is not succeeding.
The situation at the embassy in Washington is delicate. Guaidó is recognized as the president by the Organization of American States, the United States, and 50 other countries. Maduro is recognized as president by the United Nations and more than 100 countries. Under international law embassies are regarded as sovereign territory. Any attempt to take control of the embassy would raise issues larger than Venezuela.
News dispatches from down the street and around the world capture a fluid situation:
In Washington
From Caracas
The tumultuous events started when Guaidó — who has been recognized by the U.S. and dozens of other nations as the legitimate interim president — appeared in an early morning video shot next to the air base a day before what he was promoting as a definitive putsch to oust Maduro. He was surrounded by heavily armed national guardsmen backed by a few armored vehicles.
Venezuela’s Guaido takes to streets in military uprising — AP News
From the White House
“The FANB must protect the Constitution and the Venezuelan people. It should stand by the National Assembly and the legitimate institutions against the usurpation of democracy. The United States stands with the people of Venezuela,” Bolton tweeted, referring to the FANB armed forces.
US’s Bolton urges Venezuelan military support after Guaido seeks backing — Reuters
Mercenaries Ready
The exclusive report by Reuters on Tuesday, citing four unnamed sources, revealed that Erik Prince, the founder of the controversial private security firm, who is also a firm Trump supporter, has offered to deploy an army to the South American country in order to oust Maduro.
Blackwater planning to oust Maduro by sending mercenaries to Venezuela: Report — PressTV
False Alarm
Gunshots were heard at a rally led by Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido outside a Caracas air base, Reuters witnesses said, after Guaido said earlier that troops had joined him to oust President Nicolas Maduro.
Reuters witnesses said men in military uniform, who were accompanying Guaido at the scene, were exchanging fire with soldiers acting in support of Maduro. The witnesses said the shots appeared to be live rounds.
Venezuela in crisis: All the latest updates — Al Jazeera
About the Russians
A small contingent of Russian military specialists is currently in Venezuela.
The press office of the Russian embassy in Caracas told Russian state news agency RIA-Novosti that the personnel are there to undertake training and maintenance on military hardware, adding that their intervention in the unfolding situation was “out of the question.”
Live: Venezuela’s uprising — CNN
Street Clashes
A Venezuelan National Guard vehicle ran over protesters outside a military base in Caracas, who were throwing stones and hitting vehicles with sticks after opposition leader Juan Guaido called on members of the military to rise up, Reuters television images showed.
Venezuela National Guard vehicle runs over protesters in Caracas: Reuters TV — Reuters
Government Dismissive
Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza told Reuters by telephone that only around 30 soldiers had supported the coup instigated by opposition leader Juan Guaido. He described the plot as “another chapter” of an American effort to topple the government of President Nicolas Maduro.
Venezuelan coup attempt ‘directly planned in Washington’ – FM — RT
Cuban Perspective
Cuban news outlet Granma purports that the unrest in Venezuela has today been caused by a detailed U.S. ‘master plan,’ uncovered by Argentine intellectual Stella Calloni.
A sinister plan is underway, its objective: to destroy Bolivarian Venezuela. The details of this project appear meticulously specified in a secret document dated February 23, 2018, that bears the signature of Admiral Kurt Walter Tidd, current commander-in-chief of the U.S. Southern Command.
U.S. master plan to destroy Bolivarian Venezuela — Granma
