On January 23, the US government sponsored a political coup in Venezuela, with right-wing politician Juan Guaidó’s self-swearing in as “interim president,” a stunt worked out in advance with the Trump administration. Washington immediately recognized Guaidó, an operative of the extreme right, US-funded Voluntad Popular party, who had been suddenly elevated to the presidency of the opposition-controlled National Assembly on the eve of the coup. The Trump administration at the same time declared the Maduro government “illegitimate.”

As you can imagine, the situation is developing quickly in Venezuela, with imperialist countries circling to side with Guaido to further exploit the natural resources of the country, in the context of economic and political unrest. Accent of Women is not a news service, so we can’t provide you with up to date information about what’s happening. However, today’s program offers some analysis of the background and context for this Parliamentary coup. 

On the show today is Eulalia Reyes de Whitney, co-convenor of the Australia Venezuela Solidarity Network, working towards solidarity with Venezuela since the Bolivarian Revolution.