Why the American right gets Venezuela all wrong, and the left doesn’t get it at all

Last month’s Venezuelan elections, with over 8 million participants, highlighted the deepening crisis in the country’s democracy. Marred by accusations of fraud and voter suppression, these elections were a litmus test for Venezuela’s future. The official results, controlled by Maduro’s regime, claimed 5.1 million votes for the government, while the opposition, led by Edmundo González, allegedly secured 4.4 million votes — results that experts have deemed improbable.

Opposition tallies suggest a different outcome...