Washington Post: A peaceful ploy against Venezuela failed. That doesn’t make force the answer.
Editorial Board

“Venezuelan opposition leaders and their international allies calculated that an attempt to push desperately needed humanitarian aid into the country on Saturday would trigger the final collapse of the country’s authoritarian regime. Sadly, their bet did not pay off. Security and paramilitary forces torched aid trucks and opened fire on opposition supporters — killing at least eight and wounding several hundred … The regime demonstrated that it remains willing and able to employ arms against opponents who can’t and won’t respond in kind. That leaves supporters of a peaceful transition to democracy in Venezuela with a dilemma. … The right strategy is the one the administration and its allies continued to pursue Monday, which is bringing pressure to bear on the military to turn on the Maduro regime. … The Trump administration has repeatedly hinted at military intervention. But Saturday showed the regime is ready to call that bluff. That means Mr. Guaidó and his international alliance must settle in for a potentially prolonged economic and diplomatic siege. The chances for success still look substantial, given the ability of the United States and its allies to choke off most of the regime’s revenue. But patience will be necessary — and, in the meantime, Venezuelans will continue to endure more violence and deprivation” (2/25).