The New York Times reports: “Pence Tells Venezuelans That U.S. Backs Efforts to Oust Maduro.”

MIGUEL TINKER SALAS, mrt04747 at pomona.edu, at mtinkersalas
Tinker Salas is author of Venezuela: What Everyone Needs to Know (Oxford University Press). He is professor of history and Latin American studies at Pomona College; his previous books include The Enduring Legacy: Oil, Culture, and Society in Venezuela.

He said today: “The issue for Venezuela is how to create the context to reconcile differences, recognize the existence of the other and avoid a crisis of ungovernability.

“Even if there were elections tomorrow, it is unlikely that the loosing side would recognize the outcome, and we would face yet another political crisis. The Chavistas will not disappear and neither will the opposition.

“Each group needs to recognize the existence of the other and avoid a much larger crisis.

“Unfortunately, elements of Venezuelan opposition have given up on an internal strategy to achieve political change in Venezuela.

“They now rely on foreign pressure and potentially foreign intervention hoping that rightwing governments  such as  Brazil, Colombia or Argentina can oust the Maduro government. This strategy will backfire with the majority of the Venezuelan population who are against a foreign intervention.

“The Trump administration’s increased sanctions have inflicted real pain on the local population.”