There’s a lot of confusion. Everyone is energized by the heroism of Leopoldo López yesterday, but one question looms: what’s next? A new day in Venezuela shows an opposition movement determined, yet its leader is locked away, unable to organize, communicate, or execute any following strategy. Or is it? Let’s review what happened yesterday. Hundreds of thousands dressed in white took to the streets of Venezuela in response to López’s call. While most media focused on López’s arrest in Caracas, the Maduro regime forced public employees to attend a rally in Caracas, where more populist giveaways were promised. However, cities like Maracaibo, Valencia, Barquisimeto, Mérida, San Cristóbal, Puerto Ordaz, and others also witnessed spontaneous demonstrations from thousands of opposition supporters who rallied for López, even from the shadows. It was a remarkable display of strength. It sent the clearest message an opposition politician has been able to convey since 1998, shaking the very core of chavismo: despite communication hegemony, censorship, intimidation, armed thugs, widespread brutality from government forces, and enticing giveaways, the Venezuelan people are fed up, enough to hit the streets day after day to oust chavismo. López is just the face of a new opposition, one that won’t sit idle waiting for a miracle. He isn’t positioned weakly; he made his move and demonstrated his ability to rally supporters and political strength. Now the ball is in chavismo’s court, and we’ll see if they have the smarts and capability to maneuver and keep power.
López is in a strong position to dictate terms from where he stands. Every aspect of his vigil is closely monitored and followed. A tweet from him can cause turmoil nationwide. The chavismo believed that arresting him on false charges would end the protests; instead, they turned him into a martyr. They elevated his political stance to new heights, realizing that even without a position, he still wields significant influence. This is karma for what they did to Hugo Chávez once. This is López’s moment. Maduro provided the best example yesterday of how shaken the core of chavismo is, delivering a convoluted speech that displayed fear and confusion. Maduro, along with his Cuban handlers, simply didn’t see this coming. The fact that the most powerful chavista (Diosdado Cabello) was present in person to ensure López’s safety shows how seriously the regime is taking this.
Meanwhile, the notion that Venezuela isn’t a democracy is now cemented. World media, aside from a couple of shameful mediocre reports from BBC and AP, accurately covered the symbolic day and protests. Human rights NGOs issued sharp critiques over the due process violations in López’s arrest. Likewise, serious governments and multilaterals not funded by chavismo reacted. Even the largely silent Colombian president, Juan Manuel Santos, felt compelled to weigh in on the matter. All of this unfolded in just a few hours, and that’s significant. As for what comes next: it’s chavismo’s move.