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Juan Guaidó, Flanked by Soldiers, Calls for Military Uprising in Venezuela Juan Guaidó, Flanked by Soldiers, Calls for Military Uprising in Venezuela
(32 minutes later)
Appearing alongside soldiers at a military base, the Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó called for mass antigovernment protests backed by the military, a direct challenge to the government that the military forces have so far protected. With an air base as a backdrop, the Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó called on Tuesday for mass antigovernment protests backed by the military, issuing a direct challenge to the government that the military has so far protected.
“Today, brave soldiers, brave patriots, brave men attached to the Constitution have followed our call,” Mr. Guaidó said in a video posted on social media, speaking from what he said was Francisco de Miranda Air Base, a military airport known as La Carlota in central Caracas. “Today, brave soldiers, brave patriots, brave men attached to the Constitution have followed our call,” Mr. Guaidó said in a video posted on social media, speaking from what he said was Generalisimo Francisco de Miranda Air Base, a military airport in central Caracas known as La Carlota.
He had called before for the military to rise up against the government of President Nicolás Maduro, but to do it flanked by men in uniform, at a base in the heart of the capital city, was a new step. He has called before for the military to rise up against the government of President Nicolás Maduro, but doing so flanked by men in uniform, at a base in the heart of the capital, was a new step.
Mr. Guaidó claimed that this was a definitive moment in toppling the government, but it was not clear how many people — or how many soldiers — would heed him. Mr. Guaidó claimed that “the definitive end of the usurpation starts today,” but it was not clear how many civilians or soldiers would heed him.
“We are counting on the people of Venezuela today,” he said. “The armed forces are clearly on the side of the people.” “We are counting on the people of Venezuela today,” he said in the video. “The armed forces are clearly on the side of the people.”
Jorge Rodríguez, the government’s information minister, said on Twitter that government was “confronting and deactivating a small group of military traitors” that he said had taken over the base “to promote a coup.” He blamed the “coup-mongering ultraright,” which he said had pushed for a violent agenda for months in Venezuela.Jorge Rodríguez, the government’s information minister, said on Twitter that government was “confronting and deactivating a small group of military traitors” that he said had taken over the base “to promote a coup.” He blamed the “coup-mongering ultraright,” which he said had pushed for a violent agenda for months in Venezuela.
Behind Mr. Guaidó, who has described himself since January as the country’s interim president, stood Leopoldo López, a member of his party who received a nearly 14-year sentence after staging protests in 2014 and has been held by the government under house arrest. Mr. López did not speak in the video but issued messages on Twitter saying that he had been released by soldiers.Behind Mr. Guaidó, who has described himself since January as the country’s interim president, stood Leopoldo López, a member of his party who received a nearly 14-year sentence after staging protests in 2014 and has been held by the government under house arrest. Mr. López did not speak in the video but issued messages on Twitter saying that he had been released by soldiers.
“I was released by the military on the order of the Constitution and President Guaidó,” he wrote in his first Twitter posts since 2017. “Everyone mobilize. It’s time to conquer for freedom.”“I was released by the military on the order of the Constitution and President Guaidó,” he wrote in his first Twitter posts since 2017. “Everyone mobilize. It’s time to conquer for freedom.”
The appearance of Mr. Guaidó and Mr. López, with the apparent support of some national guardsmen, prompted immediate rumors in Caracas that the armed forces could be shifting loyalties away from Mr. Maduro. Battered by mismanagement, American sanctions and corruption, the Venezuelan economy has been in steep decline since 2014. Millions of people have emigrated, and the roughly 30 million who remain are plagued by hyperinflation and shortages of medicines, food, electricity and jobs.
Mr. Guaidó has tried since early this year to oust the president, whose re-election last year was widely seen as fraudulent, and more than 50 countries now consider him to be Venezuela’s legitimate leader. Mr. Maduro, who has been office since 2013, won re-election last year in a contest that was widely seen as fraudulent. In January, the National Assembly, controlled by the opposition and led by Mr. Guaidó, declared the election and the government illegitimate, leading Mr. Guaidó to claim to be the rightful, transitional leader.
A central pillar of his strategy has been luring the military to his side, and a number of officers have defected. But that has never amounted to enough for a full-scale uprising against the president. More than 50 countries, including the United States and most of its close allies, recognized him as Venezuela’s legitimate leader.
In January, shortly before Mr. Guaidó declared himself president, national guard soldiers at a military base pledged allegiance to him at a base in Caracas. The government stormed the base and arrested some of the soldiers. The appearance of Mr. Guaidó and Mr. López on Tuesday, with the apparent support of some national guardsmen, prompted immediate rumors in Caracas that the armed forces could be shifting loyalties.
A central pillar of Mr. Guaidó’s strategy has been luring the military to his side, and a number of officers have defected. But that has never amounted to enough for a full-scale uprising against Mr. Maduro.
In January, shortly before Mr. Guaidó declared himself president, members of the national guard pledged allegiance to him at a base in Caracas. The government stormed the base and arrested some of the soldiers.
One of the soldiers later appeared in a Colombian border city seeking asylum, where he joined several thousands of rank-and-file soldiers who had defected.One of the soldiers later appeared in a Colombian border city seeking asylum, where he joined several thousands of rank-and-file soldiers who had defected.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.