Downtown Caracas was heavily militarized after protesters dispersed overnight. González, who stood alongside Machado, said that while he understands people’s indignation, calm is needed.

The backslapping among government insiders in downtown Caracas on Friday contrasted sharply with the hundreds of Venezuelans who took to the streets Thursday to protest Maduro’s power grab.

“I never dreamed it would come to this,” says Yajaira Gutierrez, a 41-year-old accountant, waiting her turn in downtown Caracas. “That in Venezuela, with all our petroleum, we would be ...