Anyone following the coverage of the current situation in Venezuela will quickly arrive at the conclusion that corporate media is only telling one half of the story. It appears there are massive demonstrations calling for President Mauro’s removal/resignation by fair means or foul all over the country.

This is the media version of events and is simply a continuation of the same biased coverage of the last 20 years since President Chávez was elected. The real version of events is that Chavismo has been re-galvanized thanks to US threats against the President and the country by Trump, Bolton, Pompeo, Pence and Rubio.

There has been scant, if any, coverage of the support in the streets almost every day since 23 January for President Maduro. The Venezuelan people have been rendered invisible by the media that are openly supporting the usurper, Juan Guaidó, and a US coup solution for regime change in Venezuela.


One of the worst offenders is the UK daily The Guardian which, day after day, continues with coverage as if trying to prove that the opposition is on the verge of removing Maduro from power. Add to this the coverage given to countries who have declared support for Guaidó, and the impression is that Maduro is isolated and on his way out.

An opinion piece in The Guardian by one Simon Tisdall, lays out the choices open to Maduro to solve the crisis. These are:

1. Stick with Maduro and hope things somehow improve

2. Risk an indigenous military takeover of indefinite duration

3. Negotiate an agreed, democratic transition leading to free elections, as advocated by Guaidó

4. Face possible civil war and foreign intervention

1: Beef up the military and militias – the latter up to 2 million ready to fight by 13 April. As Maduro said in his speech yesterday: “If you want peace, be prepared to defend it:”

2. Take delivery of advanced Russian weaponry due to arrive soon.

3. Ask the Constituent Assembly - which is plenipotentiary and no one can object or challenge its decisions - to bring forward the National Assembly elections due in 2020. Or, alternatively, organize a recall referendum against the opposition deputies - one by one.

4. Continue to propose dialogue to find a solution to the current impasse so that peace is maintained.

5. Insist that the electoral timetable set out in the Constitution is followed with the next due elections being for the National Assembly and the next presidential elections due in December 2024.

6. Since the key bone of contention is going to be holding presidential elections again this year - since the ones held on 20 May 2018 were not “free and fair” [even though they were] - Maduro has to ask for evidence to be provided of any fraud or irregularities that could have affected the outcome. Just because the opposition could not find a unifying candidate, they boycotted the elections and told their followers not to vote. There is no way any reasonable person can consider it correct to de-recognize the result and Maduro’s crushing victory.

All the countries that recognize Guaido as interim president, and not Maduro, are simply casting aside all recognition of the institutions of the Venezuelan State – except the opposition-controlled National Assembly that, for them at least, is a law unto itself and makes up the rules as it goes along. It has refused to accept the constitutional interpretations and rulings of the Supreme Court.

In a nutshell, this is a coup d’état in the making which the Maduro government, the military, and great swathes of the population will not swallow.

The only way this can be imposed short to medium term is by foreign military action to oust Maduro. But this looks increasingly unlikely since the US lost its attempts to receive authorization for intervention both in the OAS and the UN Security Council in the space of six days.


This is the reality of the situation in Venezuela and even though the opposition that supports Guaidó desperately wants Maduro out, they think twice when the possibility of a military invasion leading to a Syrian type war is explained to them. They have too much to lose in terms of businesses, houses, property and even the lives of their family.

For a peaceful resolution to the political logjam in Venezuela there is, in reality, for the opposition, just one choice thanks to Hobson! That is follow the Constitution and participate democratically, even negotiate, but don’t let yourself be manipulated into allowing foreign powers to meddle in our internal affairs – even if it is for $20 million in your own pocket. You could be dead tomorrow if it goes wrong along with thousands of innocent civilians, both opposition and Chavista.