Divide and Conquer

Maduro had decided to go full dictatorship with a new body of hand-picked delegates who will formalize his dictatorial powers over the objections of the vast majority of people. But Maduro doesn't have the apparatus of absolute power--yet--to enforce that power over serious opposition.

After a sham election validating Maduro's absolute power grab, the government arrested two key opposition leaders.

Strategypage has more and wonders if the military would obey orders to shoot a massive march of unarmed people to topple Maduro.

If formalizing dictatorial powers doesn't cow the population, we are getting closer to the point where Maduro needs a foreign enemy to divide the opposition by pushing some to rally around Maduro; and to keep the military that might not fully defend Maduro busy with a foreign threat.

The Dutch might want to review their defense plans for their Caribbean islands .