Harsh U.S. sanctions, a crumbling economy, and near collapsed petroleum industry have done little, if anything, to loosen President Maduro’s grip on power in Venezuela. It appears that one of Latin America’s most reviled heads of state has not only outmaneuvered his domestic opponents but beaten U.S. sanctions designed to remove him from power. By December 2020, Maduro had taken control of Venezuela’s National Assembly, the only major state institution not controlled by the government and United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). In last year’s election, which was boycotted by most opposition candidates including Juan Guaidó, Maduro’s party won 256 out of the 277 seats available in the legislative body. This not only consolidated Maduros’ power over the crisis-ravaged Latin American nation but demonstrated that harsh U.S. sanctions are failing to remove him from power. Taking control of the National Assembly was particularly important for Maduro because the legislative […]