The failure being consummated, the Venezuelan opposition put an end on Friday to the “interim government” of Juan Guaido, who had declared himself president in January 2019 with the aim of ousting Nicolas Maduro after a 2018 presidential election, boycotted and not recognized. by part of the international community.
Members of the former Parliament, elected in 2015 and controlled by the opposition, voted 72 votes for [29 contre, 8 abstentions] the disappearance of the “interim” presidency and government, which had no real power but nevertheless controlled Venezuelan assets abroad, estimated at 24 billion dollars by Mr. Maduro.
This former parliament defends its continuity by considering the legislative elections won by the government in 2020 as fraudulent.
International support for these “interim” governments and presidencies, recognized by the United States and France in particular, had withered over the months.
President Maduro regularly mocked the Guaido “presidency” calling it the “World of Narnia” or “imaginary”.
The oil crisis caused by the war in Ukraine has led to a warming of relations between Mr. Maduro and Washington, which had sent emissaries to discuss directly with him.
The White House also eased sanctions against Venezuela in November after a breakthrough in negotiations between power and opposition, in particular allowing the oil company Chevron to operate in Venezuela for the next six months.
Officially, the American or French positions have not changed, but in reality the chancelleries have already been discussing with the power of Nicolas Maduro for a long time.
Proof of this is the meeting filmed in the corridors of COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, between Mr. Maduro and Emmanuel Macron. The French head of state had addressed Mr. Maduro by calling him “president” and indicated that he was going to telephone him.
On the other hand, South American countries like Colombia or Brazil which were governed by hard right wing groups very hostile to Nicolas Maduro have swung to the left in recent months, causing Mr. Guaido to lose weight allies.
“Suicide” and “shame”
In Venezuela, three of the four major Venezuelan opposition parties believe that the “interim government” has “stopped being useful […] and is of no interest to citizens” in a joint statement on Tuesday.
“The interim government was an emanation, an emergency of the National Assembly. What was temporary has become perpetual”, assured Friday during the meeting Juan Miguel Matheus, in favor of the disappearance of the interim government.
This constitutional lawyer clarified: “The assets are not in danger. Most of the support [international] is support for the National Assembly more than for the interim presidency… The law provides sufficient tools to protect assets in Portugal, the United States and England”.
“It’s a leap into the void. Today we capitulate. 72 deputies capitulated”, reacted Mr. Guaido after the vote. However, he assured in a more consensual tone: “The differences we have today, we will undoubtedly dissipate them”.
Leading opponent Freddy Guevara, who supported keeping the presidency, protested against his disappearance when voting: “I cannot understand how we are committing this suicide. That should put us all to shame […] We cannot guarantee that with this reform [suppression de la présidence] assets will be protected. I want to be wrong, I want gold not to fall into Maduro’s hands in the future. If tomorrow Maduro comes out stronger, know that it is your responsibility”.
The vote of the Assembly elected in 2015 comes in a context of division of the opposition which did not know how to unite during the regional of 2021 won by the power and while the presidential election of 2024 whets the appetites.
“There are opposition leaders who believe that the interim government was an advantage for a possible candidacy of Guaido,” consultant Pablo Andres Quintero told AFP.
The opposition recently announced that it will hold primaries next year to choose a single candidate to face Mr. Maduro in the presidential election. Mr. Guaido is one of the possible candidates.