There’s No Need to Call Me “Dictator”,
President: Juggernaut Countries Assemble to
Medicate Venezuela's Gaping Wounds of
Political Maelstrom
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Iipsha Bhaduri/Correo del Orinoco/9th August 2019
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Ever wonder why the Venezuelan conflict isn’t as talked about in the politics of today, or
even why there is a conflict in a country facing almost impossible odds? This is a guide to
the 2019 Presidential crisis, the cause, and what it entails for the international community.
Venezuela, a country spanning just over 916 square kilometres, is an inflammable tinderbox
waiting to be lit. The 2019 Presidential Crisis just brings the match closer to the friction that it
requires to ignite, and for good reason. This conflict may have started between two
individuals engaged in a brawl over the seal of President, but behind the scenes, geopolitical
superpowers are ready to engage in a long-awaited battle under the guise of protection. But
to discern the massive implications of the further advancements and the importance of the
upcoming Security Council session discussing the situation, the history of the involved
parties to the conflict and their actions must be looked into.
Pictured left to right - Chavez and Maduro, 2006.
To understand where exactly Venezuela stands, one needs to travel back to the times of
Hugo Chavez, the 45th President of Venezuela. After assuming his position, he implemented
socialism in his policies - a move that quickly turned another major player in the Americas
away from Chavez - the United States. The latter, presumably to curb the influence of
Chavez’s socialist policies, tried to maim his era in many ways, the most controversial being
their alleged involvement in the 2002 April coup that aimed to take power away from
Chavez. This alienation led Chavez to one of his most supportive allies, the Russian
Federation, and a few treaties were signed to “celebrate” this relationship. This showed an
eerie parallel to the Cold War - and Venezuela became the new Cuba.
After Chavez’s sudden death in 2012, his Vice-President Nicolas Maduro was elected
President by half the total vote. The sudden switch resulted in the most infamous plunges of
the Venzuelan economy; and while the citizens of the Republic were suffering the
consequences, the United States of America, along with its allies, despite promising to
protect world peace, turned its back on Maduro. At this point, another “leader” rose - Juan
Guaido, the President of the National Assembly. In 2019, the National Assembly elected him
as a replacement of Maduro. This set off one of the biggest diplomatic crises of the century;
and is now threatening to be the fuse to the Third World War.
Left - Maduro, Right - Guaido.
This entire situation bears an uncanny resemblance to various other conflicts in the world, all
of which, coincidentally or not, have the influence of the US featured quite prominently. The
most similar situation is the Syrian Civil War - where the Free Syrian Army, supported by the
United States, contests the legitimacy of the legally elected government of Bashar al-Assad.
The destruction and devastation spread by the United States is quite severe in Syria - and
since the US has not yet ruled out military intervention, anything can happen. This conflict is
much closer to home for the United States, and both sides may not refrain from using
armaments that pose a threat to the very humanity of all sides. With Russia promising to
protect Venezuela “at all costs”, and President Trump making inflammatory statements on
the internet without any forethought, the conflict is slowly making its way to the ranks of the
Middle East, which is extremely worrisome.
The United Nations Security Council.
This is why the role of the Security Council is so important - it sits all parties to the conflict
down and tries to resolve the situation, with varying degrees of success; but trial and error
slowly growing old. There has been enough error already, and if the report by the Office of
the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on the situation
suggests anything at all, is that they cannot continue. The crisis in Venezuela requires a
solution, but the existence of one is ambiguous. After all, as Hugo Chavez once said,
“Mutual respect! That’s what it takes to be friends.” It is highly doubtful that any side is ready
to respect the other and make compromises - however, one must have hope, as it is the only
spirit left in Pandora’s box.
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