There is no movement against incumbent President Nicolas Maduro worth talking about, admits Pompeo. It’s all an orchestration by Washington. In short, a criminal plot.

The clumsy admission was reported by the Washington Post which obtained an audio recording of Pompeo’s unguarded comments during a recent closed-door meeting in New York. His blundering blab is a spectacular own goal.

The meeting was held with Jewish groups apparently on a range of international topics, including the Trump administration’s Middle East policy. Pompeo seemed unaware his remarks were being recorded. His comments are therefore a stark leveling of reality, dispelling the media spin put out by the Trump administration of “supporting democracy” in Venezuela.

It also vindicates Russia’s steadfast support for the Venezuelan government, and Moscow’s consistent condemnation of Washington’s interference in the South American country.

In his off-guard remarks, Pompeo is scathing about the fecklessness of so-called opposition in Venezuela. He indicates that the US-backed movement has failed because of squabbling among political figures vying for leadership. With a tone of understatement, the top American diplomat laments that Washington’s efforts at organizing the disparate opposition have “proven devilishly difficult”.

“Our conundrum, which is to keep the opposition united, has proven devilishly difficult”, says Pompeo, as reported by the Post. “The moment [President] Maduro leaves, everybody’s going to raise their hands and [say], ‘Take me, I’m the next president of Venezuela’. It would be forty-plus people who believe they’re the rightful heir to Maduro”.

That’s a stunning slip. What this senior US official blabbed is a blunt confirmation that the self-declared “interim president” Juan Guaido does not have any popular support among Venezuelans.