Pompeo Shores up Support of Venezuela’s Neighbors to Pressure Maduro’s Regime

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo shored up the support of  Venezuela’s neighbors during a visit Sept. 17-20, to pressure Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro to resign. Pompeo’s visit to Guyana, Brazil, and Colombia comes as international efforts to advance democratic change in the country that appear to have stalled recently. In January 2019, Venezuelan Congress head Juan Guaido proclaimed himself an interim president of the country until new free, transparent, and credible presidential elections could be held. Guaido has been recognized by more than 50 countries, including the United States. Maduro has asserted his grip on power and overseen a six-year economic collapse of his country that drove 5 million Venezuelans to flee. A report this week by United Nations investigators found Maduro’s government has committed systematic human rights violations, including murder and torture amounting to crimes against humanity. Brazil Pompeo visited on Sept. 18 a triage center for receiving Venezuelan …