YOU’RE NOT GOING TO GET RID OF A DICTATOR BY ORDINARY POLITICS: Venezuela’s Opposition Considers More Radical Measures.

With an OPEC production freeze in doubt, the long-term outlook for Maduro’s ideologically sclerotic regime is anything but rosy. But in the immediate term, the Venezuelan strongman appears to have wrong-footed the opposition. A representative from the Vatican will supposedly attempt to mediate discussions between opposition and ruling party members this weekend, but with the current state of play, it’s hard to see the government giving much ground.

Of course, trying to predict the course of inherently unstable situations is always a fools’ errand. But as we’ve noted several times before, keeping a close eye on Venezuela’s trajectory is critically important. A cratering Venezuela, potentially spinning out into civil war, with all of the attendant knock-on effects that this would have on the region is something that the next American President will have to be on guard for.

The Bush Administration should have gotten behind the coup that (temporarily) removed Chavez. Untold misery has resulted from their failure to act. Of course, if they’d supported the coup, we’d be hearing how wonderful and democratic Chavez was, and how peaceful and prosperous Venezuela would be now if he’d been allowed to stay in office.