How Venezuela’s Maduro Became Coup-Proof After Years of Military Purges

For years, Venezuelans fighting to unseat President Nicolás Maduro have hoped the country’s military would do the job for them. But even with a menacing U.S. Navy buildup currently offshore, the strongman is virtually coup-proof.

The leftist leader has purged officers accused of conspiring against him, jailing and sending them into exile. The vaunted intelligence service of close ally, Cuba, has worked to identify plots and renegades, with intelligence officers placed in every unit.