Maduro's Slow Fall in Venezuela

It is depressingly amusing to read TeleSur's account of Nicolás Maduro giving new Vice President Tarek El Aissami very broad powers (15 in all). It's really just about "efficiency." (And he's also head of the Anti-Coup Command, a creepy anti-opposition unit).  In all, it's a reminder of how uncritical media (TeleSur is the other side of the Breitbart coin) can undermine democracy.

As Boz notes briefly, this is all about internal struggle. Chavistas are not happy with Maduro, who has been off the rails for some time. Even as a stooge he's not particularly useful. These powers are likely being taken from him, though there is also speculation that Maduro sees the economic handwriting on the wall and wants someone to share the blame. So it's either Maduro is slowly being forced out or he is recognizing that he doesn't want responsibility for the mess he has helped worsen, which eventually will lead to his electoral defeat or internal ouster.