Venezuela Continues Descent into Political Crisis

The headquarters of Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia and figurehead of the opposition movement Maria Corina Machado was attacked by armed masked men on Friday amid increasing violence following Venezuela's contested Sunday presidential election..Another Attack.At approximately 3:00 a.m. local time, six armed men arrived at the headquarters without giving identification to local security guards and attacked those protecting the headquarters, gagging and detaining those who were present. Once inside the headquarters, the attackers began to ransack the building, spray-painting walls, breaking doors, and stealing equipment and documents within the building. This attack is one of many against the opposition. Previously during the campaign period, Machado reported that two vehicles used by her and her entourage were vandalized in Barquisimeto, Lara on July 18, just ten days prior to the nation's presidential election..Attacks against the opposition, both figures within the party and supporters who have taken to the streets of Venezuela to protest the results of Sunday's election, have only increased in the days following the election. Human Rights Watch has reported that at least 20 people have been reported dead since protests began, while 1,200 arrests have been made, according to the Prosecutor's Office. These attacks and threats of reprisal by President Nicolas Maduro's regime have forced Machado into hiding, according to a Wall Street Journal article that she wrote on Thursday..The attack on the opposition's headquarters has been met with fierce condemnation by the opposition itself. Vente Venezuela, Machado's party, Popular Will, and the alliance that has united the opposition, the Unitary Platform, all released statements condemning the attack..The government's war against the political opposition has only increased following the presidential election, with Maduro's regime expelling diplomatic staff of any nation that questions the legitimacy of the election's results. This ultimately led to a diplomatic crisis in regard to Argentina, which has been harboring Venezuelan asylees since late March following the issuance of arrest warrants by Maduro's regime. In a meeting of the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States, Argentina's representative stated Maduro's government ordered those who were granted asylum in Argentina to leave in the same manner as the Argentine diplomatic staff, raising concerns regarding the health, well-being, and safety of those granted asylum.."He [Maduro] tells the persons who have been given asylum to exit with the Argentine diplomats … they say it's just an administrative matter that Argentina should resolve, but how if they don't let them out? Do the asylees have wings so as to fly?" The representative stated. "Given the lack of guarantees without safeguarding the physical integrity or safety of our asylees, the Argentine Republic sounds an alert, a warning on this situation.".Luckily, Brazil took control of the embassy on Thursday, taking on the responsibilities of Argentina's diplomatic staff and securing the safety of the six who sought shelter in the embassy. Brazil's willingness to take over Argentina's embassy has come as a surprise to some, as President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has taken a far less confrontational route in regard to Maduro, simply requesting that Maduro's regime publish electoral results rather than directly calling the results fraudulent..What Another Seven Years of Maduro Could Mean.Since 1999, Venezuela has been under the rule of socialists. First, with Hugo Chavez whose political ideology dubbed Chavism has been handed down to current President, Nicolas Maduro. Chavez ruled until 2013 when he died of cancer, leaving behind a massive power struggle as high ranking officials within Chavez's PSUV and the political opposition scrambled for power. Ultimately, after elections held the same year of his death, Nicolas Maduro was elected President with a mere 1.5 percent margin over his opponent, Henrique Capriles, the Presidential candidate for the opposition Democratic Unity Platform..Prior to the death of Chavez however, Venezuela wagered its vast deposits of oil for economic gain. These reserves, coupled with increasing oil prices in the 2000s ultimately led to Venezuela finding itself with a large increase in funds which was used to address poverty across the country. While critics of Chavez's regime claimed the then President used the funds to buy votes and ultimately support his rule rather than the good of Venezuela, the result of Chavez's work led to a 20% decrease in poverty across the country..This over-reliance on oil eventually led to the current economic crisis within Venezuela today, further exacerbated by poor fiscal decisions by both Chavez and Maduro throughout their respective tenures. In the early 2010s, these poor decisions made by Chavez ultimately left Venezuela's economy struggling with shortages of food and other goods becoming commonplace amid rising inflation and poverty rates..These economic issues only increased in 2015 amid falling oil prices coupled with struggles within Venezuela's oil production industry. During the start of the financial crisis within Venezuela, anti-government demonstrations became a common sight, a fact that Maduro's regime would seek to acknowledge. Maduro's government enacted a viscous crackdown on political dissent, with reports of authorities executing dissenters and imprisoning those who spoke against the government becoming more common..In the face of Venezuela's humanitarian crisis, both in terms of economic hardship and political repression, United States President Barack Obama designated Venezuela as a national security threat and issued sanctions against a number of the nation's political figures in an effort to force the hands of the country's political elite. Sanctions would increase in 2017 under the Trump administration, with these new sanctions targeting more Venezuelan political figures. President Trump would then sign further sanctions into effect in 2019, this time targeting Venezuela's oil, gold, and other industries vital for the country..In an effort to lessen sanctions against Venezuela, Maduro's government signed the Barbados Agreement in October 2023 with the Unitary Platform. This agreement was intended to promote political rights and electoral guarantees for those wishing to run for office ahead of the Presidential election. Following the signing, the United States and European Union relieved some sanctions against Venezuela's oil and gold industries. This relief would not last long however, as sanctions against Venezuela's gold mining industry were reimposed in late January following perceived failures of Maduro's regime to respect the agreement..With Maduro's victory in this year's election, Venezuela is set to continue the policies of Chavism, likely continuing the economic decline of the country. The original sanctions imposed against Maduro's regime are likely to be reasserted by the United States and the European Union following the wealth of accusations of tampering and repression during the election period, while political repression by Maduro's regime will likely ramp up with the conclusion of elections..Protests against Maduro's continued reign are sure to break out in the days following the announced results, while reprisals by the state are sure to follow.