Opinions

Venezuelans rise against corrupt president, Nicolas Maduro

“We are going to bring down Maduro,” chanted thousands of protesters in Venezuela last Thursday as they marched down the country’s highways in a display of protest against the presidency of Nicolas Maduro.

Opposition supporters are calling for Maduro’s removal and are blaming the Venezuelan president for the country’s economic crisis. Moreover, protesters are accusing the electoral commission of not allowing a referendum which would possibly shorten his term.

Although opponents need to win more votes for his removal than the total number of votes he received during the April 2013 election, I’m certain that the opposition supporters will make this necessary removal a reality.

Many lower class Venezuelan citizens are suffering from a lack of jobs, health care services and food. The nation is confronted with an economic divide — one with either elite citizens enjoying a luxurious lifestyle and another where lower class citizens face hunger.

I’m with the opposition supporters and those who suffer from unfair treatment for having a low socioeconomic background. Corrupt politicians have done enough damage to the region, and it’s time that the wealth be distributed throughout Venezuela.

All should have the opportunity to make a decent living, but with lower class citizens being unable to achieve economic success, it is an impossibility.

Under Hugo Chavez’s authority, Venezuelans seemed to be stable. Middle- and lower-class people lived a comfortable life in which they didn’t have to line up for hours to get basic food staples. What seems to me is that the ugly side of his legacy was simply hiding beneath the social welfare he provided.

In a New York Times article titled “Oposición en Venezuela adopta estrategias del manual político de Chávez,” written in Spanish by Nicholas Casey and Patricia Torres in February 2016, the authors explained how houses designed and constructed to benefit the people were located in areas that were supposed to be centric to grocery stores and schools.

Franco Micucci, an architect that worked on this housing project, compared this zone with Brazil’s “City of God,” referring to Brazil’s less developed areas – known as favelas – which have an unfortunate history of drug trafficking and high crime-rates.

Chavez’s government left havoc that now haunts the current president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro. Although the latter is a supporter of Chavez’s practices, Venezuela’s economy has gone downhill under his watch.

The havoc that Maduro is facing now is due to him wanting the support of those who followed Chavez. What he might not count on though, is the fact that Venezuelans are tired of empty promises and are finally standing up for themselves.

The International Monetary Fund, an organization that promotes international financial stability and monetary cooperation, published a transcript in October 2015. The report stated that Venezuela has not met with the organization neither to negotiate nor conduct consultation in about 10 years.

I blame both the president and the organization, as they’re both supposed to work as a team to further lead the country to financial success.

The fact that Venezuela doesn’t check in with an authority so vital for economic matters makes me uneasy. 

Be it corrupted or not, there has to be record of the economic actions taken by Venezuela’s leaders. If there’s a lack of evidence, this makes it much easier for corrupt politicians to screw their country over by manipulating the economy.   

Moreover, the decrease of oil prices has affected Venezuela greatly as it has depended on its revenue for years.

According to an article posted on BBC’s website, “What has gone wrong in Venezuela?” as oil prices go down so does the money necessary for produce. Producers refuse to cooperate with government-run stores or refuse to continue to sell at all and there’s shortages on food staples such as milk, corn oil and flour. Venezuelan parents often eat just once a day to be able to provide at least a spoonful or two of rice to their kids.

As reported in CBS news’ “Venezuela crisis forces life to wait in line,” the masses of Venezuelan people waiting in line outside convenience stores for hours in order to buy food are no joke.

The situation has gotten to a point where Venezuelans cross the border to Colombia in order to get food and medicine.

Venezuelan leaders have failed to realize that the country is almost completely dependent on its oil exports. Therefore, Venezuelan leaders must make oil a top priority.

The fact that the economy is worsening not only affects middle and lower class people— it affects the country in general. Isn’t the president supposed to protect the nation as a whole? Maduro has failed as a leader then.

Venezuelans ignored Chavez’s actions in order to live comfortably while they could. With Maduro in power, people are suffering by not having access to basic food staples and health care services.

With that said, the blame does not fall on the shoulders of those suffering from the economic manipulation of corrupt politicians. Millions of South Americans are suffering, and I am proud of the recent uprisings.

It’s time for change. It’s time that the lives of lower class Venezuelan people are noticed and helped by the nation’s leaders.

One Comment

  1. Avatar

    Venezuela: another example of a socialist regime creating a living hell.

    And to think Bernie was so popular in California.

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