Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is projecting defiance in the face of escalating US pressure.
“Failure is not an option at this crucial juncture,” a sword-brandishing Maduro said in a fiery address to supporters in Caracas on Tuesday, vowing to defend Venezuela from “imperial threat.” Washington has pursued increasingly aggressive maneuvers against Maduro — designating him as a terrorist and deploying warships in the Southern Caribbean — in what is suspected to be a campaign to overthrow him. But Maduro is unlikely to leave peacefully, The Wall Street Journal wrote, partly because he likely believes the US threats are a bluff.
His political opponent, Maria Corina Machado, has aligned herself with Washington, and is facing accusations of amplifying false claims about Maduro.