How did Juan Guaido, Venezuela's self-declared interim leader, end up alone in the Miami airport, carrying only a backpack, seeking protection from persecution in his home country?

Back in 2019, Guaido, who was then the head of Venezuela's National Assembly, challenged the Venezuelan presidency and declared himself the rightful leader after the widely disputed re-election of President Nicolás Maduro.

More than 50 countries — including the U.S. and Canada — chose to back Guaido over Maduro, precipitating a years-long presidential crisis.

But since his declaration, Guaido's popularity has waned and his international backers have dropped off. In January, opposition lawmakers voted to strip him of his leadership position. More recently, he says the rhetoric and threats against him have increased — prompting his flight to Miami.

This week on Nothing is Foreign, we look back at what happened during Guaido's time as the U.S backed, self-declared interim leader of Venezuela, why his movement couldn't find sustained support and what it might tell us about Venezuela's political future.

Featuring:

José Luis Granados Ceja, writer and podcaster for Venezuela Analysis.

For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/nothing-is-foreign-transcripts-listen-1.6732059