Juan Guaido and failed regime change in Venezuela

How did Juan Guaido, the self-proclaimed interim leader of Venezuela, just stop at the Miami airport, carrying only a backpack, asking for protection from persecution in his country?

Back in 2019, Guaido, who is now the head of Venezuela’s National Assembly, challenged the president of Venezuela and declared himself the legitimate leader after the controversial re-election of President Nicolás Maduro.

More than 50 countries – including the US and Canada – voted to back Guaido over Maduro, sparking a multi-year presidential crisis.

But since the declaration, Guaido’s popularity has waned and his international supporters have disappeared. In January, opposition MPs voted to remove their leader. More recently, he said the rhetoric and threats against him have escalated — prompting a flight to Miami.

This week on Nothing is Foreign, we take a look back at what happened during the Guaido era when the US backed Venezuela’s self-proclaimed interim leader, why his movement has been unable to find sustained support and what it says about Venezuela’s political future.

Featuring:

• José Luis Granados Ceja, writer and podcaster for Analysis of Venezuela.

Nothing is Foreign, a podcast from CBC News and CBC Podcasts, is a weekly journey to where the stories are. It was hosted by Tamara Khandaker.