Venezuela’s political opposition is nearing a critical juncture. Faced with the prospect of descending into political irrelevance as Venezuela devolves into a one-party state, the main opposition coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), has thrown its weight behind nationwide protests. The current wave of demonstrations began in earnest during the first week of April, though smaller protests have cropped up sporadically since the supreme court's March 29 ruling intended to disband the National Assembly. Already, several thousand people have joined daily demonstrations in Caracas, and persistent (albeit smaller) protests have occurred in other cities and in the capital's poorer western neighborhoods, which historically have been bastions of support for the ruling party. ...
