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WORLD NEWS Thursday 3 March 2022
Venezuelan opposition faces fading enthusiasm

By REGINA GARCIA CANO has squeezed out opposi-
Associated Press tion and most independent
MAIQUETIA, Venezuela news outlets. Many fear
(AP) — Emily Mayora’s that expressing opposition
family once supported the could endanger their ac-
opposition to Venezuelan cess to subsidized goods
President Nicolás Maduro, distributed by the govern-
especially when a fresh ment.
young leader injected life Internationally, Guaidó’s
into that movement three failure to capitalize on his
years ago and drew huge initial burst of popularity has
crowds into the street. dimmed his appeal. Sev-
But when the same lead- eral of the countries that
er showed up recently to once recognized Guaidós
rally support in Maiquetia, parallel government no
a town on the Caribbean longer do so.
Sea, Mayora didn’t bother A much smaller crowd
to walk a block to see him. turned up on a narrow,
She stayed in the little store dead-end street in a hillside
she runs from her home, neighborhood last month
selling soda and snacks to hear Guaidó, still just 38.
while Juan Guaidó, made Some had been bused in
a speech to about 90 peo- and wore the orange or
ple. Venezuela opposition leader Juan Guaido speaks to residents to present his unity plan to blue t-shirts of political par-
Venezuelans, in Maiquetia, Venezuela, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022.
Her disappointment is wide- Associated Press ties in his U.S-backed move-
ly shared in Venezuela, ment. Others stood outside
where the economy is dis- lows a brief burst of en- nations. with Guaidó or somehow their homes to listen and a
mal and many people are thusiasm generated by a But much of the momen- close to the opposition few walked over to shake
fed up both with the gov- few notable local election tum seems to have evapo- movement, it’s pretty hard his hand.
ernment and the groups victories and it undercuts rated. to find people that think But for many, daily routine
that oppose it. opposition efforts to recon- Guaidó’s popularity has that this is the guy,” Smilde continued. A man deliv-
“I don’t believe in either nect with supporters after a dropped from about 60% said. ered water to homes, an-
side, neither the opponents pandemic-forced hiatus of three years ago to under “Most everyone else thinks, other left for work. Mayora,
nor the ruling party,” the large marches and gather- 15% in February, accord- ‘Well, this just led to noth- 44, kept her shop open. A
mother of two said. “Why? ings. ing to the the Venezuela- ing; nothing’s changed.’ customer struggled to do
Because they promise and Guaidó, then the head of based polling firm Data- And they’re going to re- math trying to figure out
promise and do not deliver. congress, declared him- nalisis. main passive until they see how best to stretch $5.
They get up there, ‘We’re self Venezuela’s legitimate That’s because many be- some kind of really different “People right now have be-
going to get rid this nefari- leader in 2019, asserting lieve he lacks a viable way new offering.” come very selective, if you
ous government,’ just talk. Maduro’s reelection had to oust Maduro, who has Government crackdowns, will, about the things they
There are many people been illegitimate. held power since 2013, said too, have made many attend to and the things
here who do not leave He drew enormous crowds David Smilde, senior fellow wary of getting involved. they put energy and effort
their homes (to attend the of backers into the streets at the Washington Office Domestically, some key into,” said Benigno Alar-
gathering) only a few do while also winning wide- on Latin America and pro- opposition leaders and con, director of the Center
because they no longer spread international rec- fessor at Tulane University. some vocal citizens have for Political and Govern-
believe in any of this.” ognition from the U.S., Can- “Unless it’s somebody been imprisoned or fled ment Studies at the Andres
That broad malaise fol- ada and many European who’s just really enamored abroad. The government Bello Catholic University.q
South African court rules new Zulu king can be crowned

By GERALD IMRAY Africa but holds great sig- princesses said the late
Associated Press nificance for the 12 million king’s will had been forged
CAPE TOWN, South Africa Zulus who make up the and went to court to stop
(AP) — A new Zulu king country’s largest ethnic Misuzulu’s coronation.
can be crowned in South group. The king also inher- The judge ruled Misuzulu
Africa after a court settled its control over large por- was the rightful heir, giving
a dispute Wednesday over tions of land and a signifi- the go-ahead for South Af-
whether the prince named cant fortune. rica to witness the first Zulu
as heir to the throne last The battle over Prince Mis- coronation in more than
year had a rightful claim uzulu’s claim began last half a century and the
to it. A KwaZulu-Natal high year with the death of King first in the country’s post-
court judge in the city of Goodwill Zwelithini, who apartheid era.
Pietermaritzburg ruled that had held the throne since However, the judge sus-
Prince Misuzulu KaZwelithi- 1968. The king’s will named pended the execution of
ni, the eldest surviving son one of his wives as Queen the late king’s will pend-
of the late king, is the “un- Regent of the Zulus, but ing a court hearing to
disputed successor to the she died a month after the decide on its authentic- Prince Misuzulu KaZwelithin, center, flanked by fellow warriors
throne.” king, leaving her son Prince ity. King Zwelithini’s fortune in traditional dress at the KwaKhangelamankengane Royal
The Zulu king has a largely Misuzulu to be named the has been estimated at $20 Palace, during a ceremony, in Nongoma, Friday May 7, 2021.
ceremonial role in South king in waiting. Two Zulu million.q Associated Press