Mass Protests by Opponents in Venezuela; Juan Guaido Declares Himself Interim President

A large crowd of Venezuelans protested against the government of Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday, an event that Juan Guaido, the opposition leader, considered a backing to declare himself the interim president of Venezuela. The new wave of protests, which began on Tuesday, was called by Mr. Guaido, the president of the Venezuelan parliament and one of the young leaders of the opposition, in response to recent changes in the constitution and the weakening of democratic structures in Venezuela. This protest, held on the symbolic day marking the end of the military dictatorship of the 1950s, is expected to be the largest opposition movement in the past year. Venezuela is on the brink of resolving its crisis or facing civil war. Nicolas Maduro officially began his second presidential term on January 10, but opponents accuse him of manipulating votes and widespread fraud, thus questioning the legitimacy of his presidency. In Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, tens of thousands of people from various neighborhoods marched to the location of Juan Guaido's speech. Mr. Guaido, amidst his supporters, took an oath of presidency, stating that he would assume the interim presidency with the support of the armed forces and would hold elections. Moments later, the Trump administration announced that the U.S. recognizes Juan Guaido's presidency and will use all its economic and diplomatic power to help Venezuela achieve democracy. A Canadian official also told Reuters that Canada intends to recognize Mr. Guaido's interim presidency. Images shared on social media show national guard forces using tear gas to disperse supporters of Juan Guaido in the capital. However, Caracas is not the only city witnessing the opposition's show of strength. Venezuelan media reported protests in other major cities, including Valencia and Maracaibo. Hundreds of thousands are expected to participate in these protests across the country. At the same time, the ruling Socialist Party is also set to mobilize its supporters for another demonstration to commemorate the anniversary of the fall of the military dictatorship. Reuters reports that the opposition has gained momentum from the activities of Juan Guaido, the new president of the National Assembly, and widespread international criticism of Maduro's second presidential term. Many believe that a change of government in Venezuela depends on the stance of the country's armed forces. In recent years, the military has supported Nicolas Maduro's actions to undermine democratic institutions and two waves of widespread opposition protests. Juan Guaido tweeted: "Our message to all sectors of the armed forces is very clear: we extend a hand of unity from the parliament and ask them to join the constitution and the nation." Mr. Guaido announced that government officials and armed forces participating in the overthrow of the current government would be granted amnesty. However, there is no guarantee that military commanders will join the ranks of the opposition against Nicolas Maduro's government. Mike Pence, the U.S. Vice President, also described the Venezuelan leader as a "dictator without legitimacy" in a video message, urging the people to "make their voices of protest heard by all." According to civil organizations and human rights groups in Venezuela, during the scattered protests on Tuesday, which took place in working-class and impoverished neighborhoods of many cities, a 16-year-old boy was killed in a neighborhood in western Caracas, and at least 30 people were arrested across the country.