TWO years ago, public protests erupted in both Kiev and Caracas. Whereas Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity quickly took power, political change in Venezuela followed a much slower path. But Venezuela’s parliamentary election on December 6, which gave the opposition a two-thirds majority, is moving political developments into the fast lane.Although President Nicolás Maduro accepted defeat on election night, his government has promised to disregard any laws the National Assembly enacts, and has appointed an alternative Assembly of the Communes not envisaged in the constitution. Moreover, he used the National Assembly’s lame-duck session to pack the Supreme Court and has called on supporters to prevent the newly elected assembly from being seated when it convenes for the first time on Tuesday. Like Ukraine two years ago, Venezuela is heading towards a constitutional crisis....BUT there is an older and more ominous parallel between Venezuela and Ukraine: the Soviet Union’s man-made famine...
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