Why it matters: Guaidó and his allies set up this moment to test Maduro — to see whether his troops, the key to his power, would obey his orders.
Maduro had ordered his military to block the aid, but observers yesterday recorded a mixed picture. Some military officers defected, while other Maduro allies killed civilians and set fire to trucks loaded with aid. And in another act of insubordination, Venezuelans manning the checkpoints reportedly let Guaidó cross into Colombia in a caravan — defying a travel ban.
What’s next? Maduro clings to power but is having trouble with energy and resources. The U.S. government already has broad sanctions in place. But senior Trump officials are now identifying individuals to sanction — they’re going one by one through the senior ranks of Maduro’s regime.
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