Neither Cuba nor Venezuela were moral paradises before their respective socio political disruptions, nor were they hellish. These were societies with both virtuous and dark moments.
There are reasons to believe that the possibility of a presidential interruption or even a soft coup is not merely a “smokescreen” but rather a plausible risk.
With the presidential succession, September seems to have confirmed the predominance of dependence. This is indicated by their shared stance on the "Spanish issue."
Maduro benefits from an institutional architecture created by his predecessor, staffed with operators and adherents who occupy the top echelons of the executive, legislative and judicial branches
Within the group that surreptitiously supported Maduro there are, unfortunately, several women leaders from whom clearer positions in favor of respect for human rights were expected.