When Venezuela’s regime takes over the National Assembly on Tuesday, it will put the U.S.-backed opposition leader Juan Guaidó in his most precarious position since becoming head of the movement to oust the authoritarian President Nicolás Maduro two years ago.
For the current government, Mr. Guaidó will no longer be head of congress in Venezuela now that Mr. Maduro’s lieutenants are about to be sworn in to lead the 277-member National Assembly. Mr. Guaidó’s position as president of the assembly had given the U.S. and more than 50 countries justification to recognize him over Mr. Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate leader.
Mr. Maduro has publicly said his government is willing to engage with the U.S., though past efforts at brokering a dialogue failed.
An official on President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team said that it has no plans to negotiate with Mr. Maduro, adding that it has had no communications with the Venezuelan regime.
“President-elect Biden has been clear throughout the campaign and during the transition that he believes Maduro is a dictator and that the Biden administration will stand with the Venezuelan people and their call for a restoration of democracy through free and fair elections,” the official said.
