Anti-Maduro protestors to take to the streets of Venezuela on anniversary of revolution
Venezuelans will take to the streets today to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Venezuelan dictator Marcos Pérez Jiménez’s fall from power.
Historically, Venezuelans have used today’s unofficial public holiday as a venue to speak to the actions of their government. In 2015, for example, thousands flooded the streets of Caracas to voice their support for President Nicolás Maduro’s government, besieged by the “economic warfare” of pro-opposition businessmen.
Since the 2016 Supreme Court’s suspension and subsequent seizure of the legislative powers of the National Assembly, demonstrators have actively protested against increasingly centralising state control of the country, despite the overturning of the ruling in March 2017. Critics have credited Maduro’s government with causing the hyperinflation, chronic food shortages, all-time high rates of crime and violence, a mounting deficit and falling oil production that has wracked the country.
Expect the cumulative impact of political and economic frustrations to motivate activists today to continue protesting against the government that many of them lauded three years ago. However, do not expect the sentiments of those marching today to substantially contribute to the unification of the internally fractured political opposition.
Delve deeper: Venezuela: on the path to authoritarian rule under Maduro
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