Hello and welcome to The Intelligence on Economist Radio.

I'm your host, Jason Palmer.

Every weekday, we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.

After yesterday's dramatic attempt to oust Venezuela's president, we take a look at coups around the world.

What makes them happen? What makes them succeed?

And what are the risks for coup plotters who fail?

And a surprise raid on North Korea's embassy in Madrid reveals just how difficult and thankless it is to be a dissident against the North Korean regime.

But first...

In Venezuela yesterday, the opposition leader Juan Guaido made his move

to try to overthrow the embattled president,

Nicholas Maruro. He claimed his Operation Liberty would be the final push to depose a man

who has retained power only through a sham election. Mr. Guaido is supported by millions of

Venezuelans who are suffering from regime-inflicted hunger and hardship. But it's the support of the military he needs in order to take power,

and despite promising early signs,

not enough of them decided to abandon Mr. Maduro.

In a defiant television address,

the president called the attempt of failure,

lambasting those who handed their

souls over to the coup-mongering far right.

I was woken up shortly after 6 a.m. by the sound of sourcepans being bashed, which is a

traditional form of protest in Venezuela. Stephen Gibbs writes for the economist. He was among

the crowds in the capital Caracas yesterday as events unfolded.

...