Biden stands aside as revolt brews against Juan Guaidó in Venezuela

The Biden administration will not get involved in a leadership fight within Venezuela’s struggling opposition movement as a revolt brews against its interim president, Juan Guaidó, a White House official told McClatchy and the Miami Herald.

Biden’s decision to step back is yet another blow to Guaidó, who for years enjoyed robust bipartisan support in Washington, but whose influence has waned at home and abroad as Nicolás Maduro’s grip on power in Caracas has tightened.

Internally, support for Guaidó has eroded in recent months, as other opposition leaders expressed frustration that his term as interim president has failed to produce Maduro’s ouster and a democratic transition. Several opposition leaders are now arguing that a new strategy is required to move forward.

Guaidó’s political party, Voluntad Popular, is pushing back against claims of an imminent shakeup. But other Venezuelan opposition groups have decided to move ahead with the formulation of a new leadership structure that would effectively do away with the so-called interim government in the next few weeks, opposition insiders told McClatchy and the Miami Herald.

The White House will not oppose this effort, an official said.

“The United States continues to recognize Juan Guaidó as the interim government of Venezuela,” a U.S. national security official said. “If the Venezuelan opposition decides to do away with the interim government, it is their decision.”

The official would not say whether the administration is committed to recognizing a new interim government, regardless of its leadership, until new elections are held.

CHALLENGE BREWING

Guaidó has been the figurehead of Venezuela’s democratic movement since January 2019, after Maduro declared himself the victor of a disputed election widely condemned by the international community.

Since then, over 60 countries, including the United States, have recognized Guaidó as the country’s interim president. Venezuela’s constitution grants this power to the head of the National Assembly in the absence of a legitimately elected president.

Venezuela’s opposition parties have controlled the National Assembly since 2015, when the last elections seen as free and fair were held. But neither the opposition Congress nor Guaidó’s presidency wield any real power inside of Venezuela. Since the presidential crisis began in January 2019, Maduro’s socialist government has stood up its own sham national assembly to replace the elected body.

One opposition leader said the future of Venezuela’s democratic movement “would be ultimately decided by the National Assembly.”

“But as of now, a consensus is forming that the concept of an interim government no longer makes sense, and specifically the role of Guaidó as interim president,” the leader said, under the condition of anonymity. “What will be discussed next is what this National Assembly will look like without Guaidó at the top.”

READ MORE: State Department determines Venezuela is wrongfully detaining L.A. public defender

Opposition sources said the new leadership structure could be in place by the end of November or early December, ahead of the inauguration of a new National Assembly in early January.

DRAMA IN PANAMA

Four of Venezuela’s main political parties — Primero Justicia, Acción Democrática, un Nuevo Tiempo, and VP — discussed the potential changes earlier this month in Panama. The U.S. ambassador to Venezuela, James Story, also met with opposition leaders in Panama on the sidelines of the discussions.

The American diplomat expressed concern about the interim government’s leadership and handling of Venezuela’s assets abroad, including the finances of Citgo, a Venezuelan state-owned fuel company, multiple sources confirmed.

When reached for comment for this report, a State Department official said “the United States recognizes Interim President Guaidó.”

The administration, the official said, “closely coordinates with his administration and with the Unitary Platform on the steps needed to move forward on a negotiated solution that leads to the restoration of democracy to Venezuela.”

The Unitary Platform includes the groups looking to remove Guaidó from power.

Over the past year, the Biden administration has slowly distanced itself from Venezuela’s opposition movement, declining to invite Guaidó to the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles this year and opening direct dialogue with Maduro.

Several top aides to the president have expressed interest in expanding talks with Maduro since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine first drove up gas prices worldwide. A surge of Venezuelan migrants to the U.S. southern border has also forced the administration to reexamine its strategy toward Caracas.

The administration says it will not relieve sanctions on Maduro until he reengages in a diplomatic process with the opposition in Mexico City toward free and fair elections.

But when pressed, officials would not rule out revoking U.S. recognition of the interim government.