Former Acting President Juan Guaidó arrived in the American City of Miami after he was deported from Colombia.
The leader actively advocates the opposition against the Nicolas Maduro Government and has faced threats from the Venezuelan President since 2020. He has also urged the Venezuelan Refugees living in other parts of the world to speak up and expose the atrocities and hardships faced under Maduro’s leadership.
Crisis in Venezuela
Venezuela has been gripped by an economic crisis due to various economic factors as well as the crashing oil prices in the mid-2010s. The country’s status as a petrostate, a term which refers to those countries that have a heavy reliance on Oil to drive their economy. The country even experienced an economic boom in the late half of the 20th century as well as during the first decade of the 21st century.
Late President Hugo Chavez aimed at social services to uplift the conditions of the poor in the country through his “Bolivarian Missions”. Despite a fall in the poverty rates of the country in 2002-08, the leader was accused of misappropriating the funds. These actions led to overspending and unmanageable price controls by the time the country entered in the year of 2010, which led to the country’s economy declining as well as shortages and inflation on goods starting to increase. The value of the Bolivar also started to tank.
Late President Hugo Chavez aimed at social services to uplift the conditions of the poor in the country through his “Bolivarian Missions”. Despite a fall in the poverty rates of the country in 2002-08, the leader was accused of misappropriating the funds. These actions led to overspending and unmanageable price controls by the time the country entered in the year 2010, which led to the country’s economy declining as well as shortages and inflation on goods starting to increase. The value of the Bolivar also started to tank.
After the death of Chavez, Nicolas Maduro took the helm of the government and resumed implementing his predecessor’s policies. The oil price crash in 2016 led the country to enter into an economic recession and inflation has risen as high as 800%. The currency value depreciated and became valueless.
The Rise of Guaidó
Various activities of Political Suppression by Maduro like the renouncement of the National Assembly in 2017 and the controversial victory of the leader in the 2018 elections created concerns over the Venezuelan Public on the status of the affairs of the country. The public has started to increase their frustration with the worsening conditions of the country and a large number of Venezuela started to leave the country for neighboring nations as refugees.
Maduro continued to accuse the West of suppressing the country’s economic growth and never addressed the actual challenges in the country.
In January 2019, Guaidó challenged Maduro’s status as the president of the country and Guaido was sworn in as the acting president of the country with the support of the National Assembly. He was recognised as President by the USA, Canada, and some of the European and Latin American Nations, however Russia, China, Iran, Syria, Cuba, and Turkey supported Maduro.
Maduro cut ties with the USA, shut down the Embassy and accused Guaido to work with the Americans under a conspiracy which was quickly shut down. This led to a political crisis in the country where the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) in the country rejected Guaidó as acting president. However, the Supreme Tribunal of Justice of Venezuela in exile supported him.
However, Guaido’s recognition as President of the country ended after he lost his position as the head of the Parliament in 2021.
Present Scenario
Guaido has been frequently speaking out against the Maduro government and his visit to Colombia was marred with threats of Deportation after his arrival to the country to take a flight from the city of Cucota to Bogota to participate in the negotiation between Venezuelan leaders and opposition which was attended by leaders of 19 nations.
Through diplomatic channels, the leader was sent on a flight to the USA and his safety has been ensured by the government.
However, Guido stated that he’ll continue fighting for the cause of his people and bring back the spirit of Democracy in the country.
