Venezuela’s Guaido, protesters urge military to reject Maduro

Thousands of opposition protesters, led by Venezuela’s self-proclaimed acting president Juan Guaido, on Wednesday called on the armed forces to abandon President Nicolas Maduro and allow humanitarian aid into the crisis-wracked country. People took to the streets in the capital Caracas and various other cities, banging pots, blowing whistles and horns, and carrying banners that read: “Armed forces, regain your dignity,” “Maduro usurper,” “Guaido, president” and “No to the dictatorship.”

“Don’t shoot people who are making demands also for your family,” Guaido said in a message to the military delivered from the central university in Caracas. He also wrote in a New York Times op-ed published Wednesday that the support of the military was key to efforts to oust Maduro, saying secret meetings had been held with members of the security forces. “The military’s withdrawal of support from Mr Maduro is crucial to enabling a change in government, and the majority of those in service agree that the country’s recent travails are untenable,” Guaido wrote.

The 35-year-old National Assembly president, an engineer by training, is attempting to force the 56-year-old Maduro from power so he can set up a transitional government and hold new presidential elections. Guaido quickly earned the support of the United States and several Latin American countries. Six major European nations have told Maduro to call those elections by the weekend or they too will recognize Guaido.

“Large protests all across Venezuela today against Maduro. The fight for freedom has begun!” US President Donald Trump tweeted after speaking with Guaido. The political upheaval has exacerbated the general disarray in Venezuela, which has the world’s largest proven oil reserves but has suffered an economic meltdown marked by hyperinflation and shortages of basic necessities. Millions have been left in poverty, while 2.3 million more have fled the country, unleashing a migration crisis in South America.

Wednesday’s protest is a twohour strike, aimed to “demand that the armed forces side with the people”, after bloody clashes following protests last week left more than 40 people dead and 850 incarcerated. Earlier, Maduro had tried to rally the armed forces himself, meeting with 2,500 soldiers in the capital and calling for “unity” while hitting out at military “mercenaries.” He accused the “oligarchy” in neighboring Colombia of being behind an attempt by military deserters to drive a wedge between him and the armed forces -- which are key to his hold on power.

He has also cracked down on the foreign media working in Venezuela. Two French reporters and a Colombian photographer have been detained and two Chilean journalists were deported Wednesday. “Do you want a puppet of the gringos to govern Venezuela?” Maduro asked the soldiers, referring to Guaido. They responded with a resounding: No!”