Venezuelan opposition puts an end to the interim government of Juan Guaidó

First modification: 01/06/2023 – 11:29

Six days after voting in favor of eliminating the “interim”, the opposition elected via videoconference a new directive for the “parallel” Assembly that is directed by the opposition deputies and that they consider “legitimate”. Dinorah Figuera, who lives in Spain, was elected instead of Guaidó at the head of that forum.

“We received a National Assembly with a tirade and conflict,” said Figuera, a 61-year-old doctor, taking the oath on Zoom “for unity, for democracy and for freedom.”

Shortly after, at the headquarters of the Legislative Palace, the acting National Assembly, controlled by the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), ratified Jorge Rodríguez as its president.

“This is the hour of total victory!” celebrated Rodríguez, who ironically described as the “Narnia presidency” the controversial figure headed by Guaidó since 2019, when he swore himself “interim president” with the recognition of fifty countries. including the United States. Guaidó starred in this action after ignoring the re-election of President Nicolás Maduro a year earlier and denouncing it as “a fraud.”

The figure of Guaidó had been attacked from the ranks of the opposition, until on December 30 three of the main members of the opposition coalition alleged that “it ceased to be useful” in the search for political change, after four years of attempts. failed to remove Maduro from power.

Guaidó’s interim presidency was always precarious in the face of an officialism that controls all the country’s institutions. The young leader, however, received control of Venezuelan assets frozen abroad due to sanctions against the Caribbean country. However, he was never able to take real power despite the broad international support he had, which he has diminished. The Maduro government estimates the Venezuelan resources blocked abroad at about 24,000 million dollars. A sum that arouses the greed of Chavismo, which has not been able to stop the excessive inflation in Venezuela.

The elimination of the “interim” comes amid internal confrontations in the opposition, which aspires to hold primaries this year to choose a unitary candidate for the presidential elections, scheduled for 2024.

The conditions for these elections are discussed at the negotiating table in Mexico.

with AFP