Margarita Becomes Flash-Point for Venezuela’s Political Crisis

Venezuela’s Margarita Island, the so-called Pearl of the Caribbean, is emerging as a flash-point for the South American country’s political crisis as President Nicolas Maduro prepares to welcome the 17th summit of the Non-Aligned Movement there next week.

While the government has been mum about exact plans for the summit that runs from Sept. 13-18 and has not yet released a list of attendees, the timing couldn’t be worse for Maduro. In the midst of an economic and political crisis as the opposition seeks a recall referendum on his rule, Maduro faced an embarrassing protest there last week that went viral on social media.