"In Venezuela, an ongoing struggle for power amid a growing humanitarian disaster" PBS NewsHour 12/29/2020
Excerpt
SUMMARY: Next week in Venezuela a new parliament is set to be sworn in, after members of the opposition boycotted elections earlier this month. It leaves opposition leader Juan Guaido in an even more precarious position, and the country with an uncertain future. Special correspondent Marcia Biggs reports.
SUMMARY: Sunday saw new chaos in Venezuela’s enduring political and economic disaster. Juan Guaido, leader of parliament and the opposition to President Nicolas Maduro, was physically barred from the National Assembly. Maduro supporters then claimed they’d replaced him as the speaker. But Guaido later rallied enough members of parliament to secure reelection. Special correspondent Marcia Biggs reports.
SUMMARY: Venezuela’s political turmoil deepened Tuesday as supporters of President Nicolas Maduro tried to open a new session in the National Assembly without opposition members or their leader, Juan Guaido. Guaido managed to force his way into the parliament, but the confusion left Venezuelans unsure of which contingent is running their government. Special correspondent Marcia Biggs reports.
SUMMARY: Over the past five years, Venezuela’s combination of political instability, economic crisis and humanitarian disaster has driven record numbers of people out of the country to seek refuge elsewhere. The exodus is reshaping the entire continent of South America in unexpected ways. Amna Nawaz reports from the border between Venezuela and Brazil, where she met families making the desperate journey.
SUMMARY: It's been three years since a groundbreaking peace deal between the Colombian government and FARC rebels. The agreement opened the door for land reform, political participation for ex-rebels and a crackdown on drug trafficking. But most of those problems remain, amid a political transition and influx of Venezuelan refugees. Judy Woodruff talks to foreign minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo.
SUMMARY: The political power struggle in Venezuela took a violent turn Tuesday, as opposition leader Juan Guaido appealed to the military to turn against President Nicolas Maduro’s regime, and for the public to take to the streets. Thousands turned out in support, but it was unclear whether the armed forces are indeed ready to shift allegiance. William Brangham reports on a volatile day in Venezuela.
SUMMARY: After Tuesday’s violent clashes, Wednesday dawned quiet in Caracas but eventually grew chaotic again. Police threw tear gas at Venezuelans demonstrating in support of opposition leader Juan Guaido. Meanwhile, it was unclear why Guaido’s earlier talks with military leaders about joining his campaign to unseat President Nicolas Maduro appeared to have fallen through. William Brangham reports.
SUMMARY: As the standoff over transition of power in Venezuela continues at least 50 countries including the U.S. have thrown their support behind Juan Guaidó whose recent calls for military support and for mass demonstrations have not been successful. Columbia University’s Christopher Sabatini joins Hari Sreenivasan to discuss the power struggle, Russia's role and the U.S. government response.
SUMMARY: In Caracas, a revitalized Venezuelan opposition braved physical threats to demand that national assembly head Juan Guaidó replace President Nicolás Maduro. The Trump administration is backing Guaidó, but critics question whether U.S. intervention will help the country’s suffering population. Nick Schifrin talks to former Venezuelan diplomat Isaías Medina and the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Ben Gedan.
