Venezuela’s Guaido: Never a Good Moment for Negotiations

Amid talk that Venezuelans are losing patience with the regime change efforts in the country, opposition leader Juan Guaido ruled out further negotiations with the Maduro government on Tuesday, saying it is “never” a good time to talk with the dictatorship.

Norway hosted such talks in May, with Guaido trying to present himself as ambivalent about the whole process, meant to end the standoff between his supporters and the government after the failed April coup attempt.

Guaido’s hardline position is likely meant to keep the US thinking of him as a potential US-backed ruler in the future. The reality, however, is that Venezuelans are increasingly doubtful this will happen, and Trump has also been said to have lost interest because regime change is taking so long.

President Maduro, however, is said to be interested in having more talks, likely trying to re-establish himself as a conciliatory leader after having survived the regime change attempt.