Legislative elections to appoint a new national assembly are due to be held in 2020, but neither Maduro nor Guaido currently command much support from the Venezuelan public.
Nicolás Maduro’s government can be administered by PAHO to provide humanitarian relief in Venezuela, where the spread of Covid-19 had sparked serious concerns.
The opposition claims that the TSJ is controlled by the Maduro executive and will allow electoral manipulation, furthering tensions with the TSJ after it recently declared the Guaidó-led AN null and void.
Following the Operation Gideon attacks on Venezuela in May, reportedly launched from Colombian territory, the Venezuelan armed forces have intensified defensive preparations.
The news that Cape Verde’s government has approved Saab’s extradition, while still subject to appeal, represents a significant setback for the Maduro government’s.
This move seemingly eliminates any possibility of Guaidó’s participation in the legislative elections scheduled for December, and all but confirms that the opposition will boycott this vote.
De facto government led by Nicolás Maduro may also have been motivated by a recognition of its growing international isolation, both politically and economically.
Lima Group of Western Hemisphere countries insisted they would not recognise the results of the vote and called for free and fair elections to be called instead.
