Venezuela’s beleaguered democratic opposition has survived 20 years of brutal repression from the regime of Hugo Chávez and his successor, Nicolás Maduro. By way of a lot braveness and struggling, and with regular help from the U.S. and neighboring Colombia, Venezuelans have continued their combat for freedom.
That combat is now in danger. In Colombia, the previous revolutionary guerrilla Gustavo Petro has been elected president, and he has already begun making sweeter noises about Venezuela. He’ll drop Colombia’s recognition of interim President Juan Guaidó, chief of the democratic forces, and acknowledge Mr. Maduro as Venezuela’s respectable president. Bloomberg studies that an change of ambassadors will observe quickly after Mr. Petro’s ceremony. After the Aug. 7 inauguration, will anybody be shocked if a gathering with Mr. Maduro occurs quickly thereafter?
