Venezuela’s Golden Boy Is Out of Jail. That May Be a Problem
- The nation’s biggest question is what Leopoldo Lopez does next
- Former mayor has a reputation as the opposition’s lone wolf
This article is for subscribers only.
Leopoldo Lopez’s abrupt transfer to house arrest after three years in military prison was cause for celebration in certain quarters of Venezuela’s bitter political landscape.
President Nicolas Maduro washed his hands of a man who symbolized human-rights abuses. Lopez’s followers hailed his return as a victory against an authoritarian regime. But the fractious opposition coalition, which for months has maintained a unified voice, was shaken as the charismatic former mayor’s reappearance raised the risk that old divisions will be reopened.