The Venezuelan opposition is trying to change/overthrow the present government of Venezuela headed by President Maduro. The United States government is playing a central role in this effort by strongly and openly supporting the ouster of the Maduro government, using diplomatic resources to convince those in the Venezuelan military to oust Maduro, and using its economic power–the United States buys 40 percent of Venezuelan oil–to impose crippling economic sanctions. The Venezuelan military is also of crucial importance, as, in the array of political forces, it is the one with sufficient power to oust a current president by means of a coup.
Photo: Congressman Juan Guaidó of the Popular Will party, president of the National Assembly since Jan. 5, was sworn in on Jan. 23 before a crowd as Venezuela’s (disputed) interim president. Credit: National Assembly of Venezuela
This is not humanitarian aid: A Maduro critic in Venezuela slams U.S. plan to push regime change DemocracyNow.org February 22, 2019
Venezuela’s crisis reveals disputes between power brokers at home and abroad Max Fisher and Amanda Taub January 31, 2019
This article says that the discussion over who is the legitimate president of Venezuela is not really about legitimacy but are “elaborate games of maneuvering and signaling among military leaders, civilian leaders and foreign governments who have the power to determine the country’s fate — but only if enough of them can come together to force their way.” See the controlling government section of Understanding Exploitation for further explanation.
Venezuela: Call it what it is—a coup. The power grab of the right’s Juan Guaidó is brazenly unconstitutional. George Ciccariello-Haher The Nation January 25, 2019
U.S. targets Venezuela with tough oil sanctions during crisis of power Edward Wong and Nicholas Casey New York Times January 28, 2019
On Venezuela, Rubio assumes U.S. role of Ouster in Chief Peter Baker and Edward Wong New York Times January 26, 2019
The history – and hypocrisy – of U.S. meddling in Venezuela Bret Wilkins Telesur January 28, 2019
How Venezuela got here: a timeline of the political crisis Luc Cohen Reuters January 28, 2019