Maduro clings on in the darkness

Several days and nights of darkness in Venezuela with the power crippled but Maduro lives on. Can anyone in the population still support him? The country relies on hydroelectric power but the government, initially under Chavez, and since the death of the revolutionary madman, under bus-driver Maduro, has chronically failed to invest money in maintaining and updating the power system. So total breakdown earlier this week. Had there been a pre-planned coup plot to seize such a moment to unseat Maduro, the darkness would have provided a perfect backdrop. But the people of Venezuela are only interested in surviving, keeping their families fed when possible and hoping for a miracle. The darkness just added to their woes and fears. Many hospitals did not even have their own emergency generators to keep vital power systems going, so at least two people have died. Had there been food in the shops, perhaps there would have been looting. But Venezuela is a country of desperation where a looter would find only empty shelves. But Maduro keeps safe and, no doubt, well fed. He blames anyone but himself, whether it's the opposition or the Americans. Unfortunately he now knows that the US has no intention of invading Venezuela because Elliott Abrams, Trump's special envoy to Venezuela, said so during a telephone conversation with two Swiss oficials who turned out to be well known Russian comedian pranksters. How on earth the Russians succeeded yet again in getting to talk to key public figures is beyond me. But it gave away the secret. Trump's declaration that a military option was on the table was just bluster. Unless, intriguingly, Maduro were to send his storm troopers to seize the US embassy in Caracas, according to Abrams. Well, even Maduro is not stupid enough to do that, surely! So I would say Maduro is a much-relieved man as he sits waiting for the lights to come back on.