Venezuela’s military holds keys to Maduro’s future in power

Fabiola Zerpa and Andrew Rosati | Bloomberg News (TNS)

The morning after Venezuela’s streets erupted against Nicolás Maduro’s self-declared victory, his defense minister appeared on the airwaves to make clear how the armed forces viewed protests over an allegedly stolen vote.

“It’s something truly absurd, it’s something completely improbable,” scoffed Vladimir Padrino López, who has commanded the nation’s military for nearly a decade. The unrest “is a contradiction fomented by the...