US looks for opportunity in demise of Guaido, whom it recognized as 'interim president' of Venezuela

WASHINGTON — For four years, Juan Guaido has embodied the audacious gamble by the U.S. government to unseat Venezuela's autocratic leader and restore democracy to a once-prosperous, oil-rich nation mired in political and economic chaos.

But almost as quickly as he rose to international fame, Guaido fell from the pinnacle of pseudo-power, his efforts to remove Nicolas Maduro from the presidency ultimately unfruitful. Now, he has been dumped by his own allies at home while his former backers in Washington appear eager to move on.

The by the Venezuelan opposition exposed the spectacular failure of the U.S. policy. But it also may prove useful to U.S. interests by lifting