The Case for Containing, Not Coddling, Maduro
The inability of the U.S. to facilitate a return to democracy in Venezuela does not justify accommodating dictatorship in the name of engagement.
The inability of the U.S. to facilitate a return to democracy in Venezuela does not justify accommodating dictatorship in the name of engagement.
The territorial dispute between Venezuela and Guyana over the Essequibo region is a conflict that stretches back centuries, with its roots in the colonial era but with implications that extend to the present day.
The world should not dismiss aggression as impossible. Deterrence against a low-probability threat is cheaper than responding once aggression has begun.
Though the payoff may not be immediate, U.S. policymakers and the international community should continue to support measures, such as the recent sanctions-relief policy, that increase the odds of fostering Maduro’s worst fear: division and uncertainty within the regime.
The lessons from Guatemala echo loudly: even if free and fair elections are held, a transition of power is not a straightforward process. The international community’s role in facilitating an effective transition in Venezuela becomes paramount.
Hasta que no exista una restauración republicana y democrática, no habrá una reactivación económica que ponga a Venezuela de nuevo en el sendero del desarrollo y le permita a Colombia contar con un socio comercial dinámico.
The label “pink tide” was already misleading 20 years ago. Today, with even more pronounced distinctions between the left-wing presidents and diverse foreign policy orientations—including some critical views of Cuba—such a generalization has become even more outdated and is by far too inaccurate to categorize a political trend.
After nine years in power, Maduro’s legacy in foreign policy can be seen as a mixed bag of wins and setbacks for the government. Maduro’s wins in foreign policy have largely allowed him to stay in power even as the majority of his country wishes him removed from power.
Neuman has done an excellent job in capturing the grittiness of a country that has gone off the developmental tracks. I highly recommend this book to anyone that has an interest in Venezuela.
A new wave of tensions took place in Venezuela this week as Alex Saab, a Colombian national and associate of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, was extradited from Cabo Verde to the United States.