Global Dispatches -- Conversations On Foreign Policy And World Affairs

On January 23rd, the 35-year-old head of the Venezuela's National Assembly Juan Guiado declared himself president of Venezuela, promising to would serve in that role on an interim basis before free elections could be held. He was quickly recognized as the legitimate head of state by the United States, Canada, the Organization of American States and many countries in Latin America.  Of course, de-facto president Nicolas Maduro is rejecting this claim. At time of recording he still controls the government -- and most importantly the security services. Maduro is backed by other countries in the region and also other key international players like Russia.  There is an extremely dangerous standoff underway in Venezuela, the outcome of which is very far from certain. On the line to provide some context to help you understand this crisis is Ivan Briscoe. He is the regional director for Latin America with the International Crisis Group. We kick off discussing the political context of this situation, including how a r