Be Smart About Venezuela’s Future

Democracy’s return to Venezuela has once again been deferred. Juan Guaido, the leader of the National Assembly recognized as interim president by more than 50 countries, failed last week to persuade the military to unseat Nicolas Maduro. Few officers rallied to Guaido’s side, and the regime beat back his followers’ street protests.

Whatever the reason — overconfidence on Guaido’s part, Russian pressure, the scheming of Cuban intelligence operatives, all or none of the above — Venezuela has lapsed back into a toxic stalemate. Its economy is moribund, and its people poorer, hungrier and even more vulnerable than before to repression, misery and disease. The question is: What happens now?