Venezuela: Turmoil and Democracy

 

By JJ

Previously one of the world's richest and most prominent democratic nations Venezuela has found itself in a many year long turmoil. From failed presidencies such as those found in office now, to corruption that strings from the government to the highest levels of the military. Venezuela was a very oil rich country that exported worldwide. After Chaves, the country that used to run like a well oil motor now finds itself indulged with corruption dealing with drugs, high levels of police abuse, military abuse of power, and governmental negligence. Covid like everywhere else in the world has sent Venezuela deeper into a whole no one thought could be dug any deeper. There are shortages of food, fuel, medicine, and protection in the form of public services as in the police forces.

Due to Covid there are no restrictions that are being enforced. This means that the cases are on a consistent rise. Joint to that problem is the fact that health services are almost nonexistent and the government run by a man that the former president met in Venezuelan jail and was previously a bus driver with no prior experience in any governmental position which has put venezuela in a very difficult position to return to the times in the past where they were an efficient profitable democratic country. The newly found problems consist of the fact that the country is now completely shut down. The Citizens of Venezuela are at a complete loss when it comes to finding ways to feed themselves and their families. The whole country shut down. "We couldn't get anything and we had to start trading fuel for food," (BBC News World). The loss of fuel for food is a surprising problem due to the fact that Venezuela has one of the largest oil reserves in the world even to this day.






In Reference to the surplus of oil and fuel that Venezuela was once known for we now hear of reports like the following: “But it is impossible to cover up because, everywhere you drive, Venezuelans are queuing for petrol. This is a country whose people used to have fuel on tap, and who are used to paying next to nothing for it.” (BBC News World). Another comment on the BBC News World article states: "It's absurd that in such an oil-rich country, the government has finished the industry off," she says. "It's not just petrol either, I get home from this hot queue, sweating, I want a shower, there's no water, then no electricity, it's a total mess." (BBC New World). The people in this country are lost and tired of the new system that has embedded itself in their once beautiful prosperous country.


Watson, K., 2021. 'A total mess': Venezuelans see little hope of improvement. [online] BBC News. Available at: <https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-55259362> [Accessed 18 February 2021].