(Foreign Policy)
As Tuesday, April 30, dawned, the U.S. administration believed the tide was finally turning against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. But by the end of the day, it was clear that an elaborate attempt by U.S.-backed opposition leader Juan Guaidó to seize power had failed miserably, leaving U.S. officials scrambling to save face.
But don’t count Guaidó out quite yet, according to retired U.S. Navy Adm. James Stavridis, who led U.S. Southern Command from 2006 to 2009. Stavridis said the failed uprising was merely a setback in the broader attempt at regime change in Venezuela, where a deepening humanitarian crisis has forced more than 3 million people to flee the country.
Stavridis chatted with Foreign Policy about the attempted uprising, the tough rhetoric coming from U.S. President Donald Trump’s national security team, and the likelihood that the United States will follow through on its threats of military action.
Foreign Policy: Do the events of the last few days reflect a failure for Trump’s administration?
James Stavridis: I wouldn’t categorize it as a failure at this point. I’d categorize it as a near miss on a success. From where we were a year ago, the trends continue to diminish the chances of Nicholás Maduro remaining in power. The country is spiraling downward. The opposition clearly has gained momentum in the strategic sense over the last year, and I for one find credible the reports that Maduro was about to fold. Read more