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136-458: Until the Venezuelan economic crisis , it was a popular crossing point for Colombians to shop across the border. In 2015, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro closed the bridge to vehicular traffic. Since at least 2017, the traffic is mostly people leaving Venezuela . 7°49′04″N 72°27′03″W  /  7.8179°N 72.4508°W  / 7.8179; -72.4508 This article about

272-590: A constituent assembly that would draft a new constitution to replace the 1999 Venezuela Constitution . The members of the Constituent Assembly would not be elected in open elections, but selected from social organizations loyal to Maduro. It would also allow him to stay in power during the interregnum and skip the 2018 presidential elections . Many countries considered these actions a bid by Maduro to stay in power indefinitely, and over 40 countries, along with NGOs, stated that they would not recognize

408-631: A "crazy brute", while historian Edwin Lieuwen labelled him "probably the worst of Venezuela's many dictators". From 1908 to 1935, the dictator Juan Vincente Gomez held power, with his acts of corruption only committed with "immediate collaborators", according to the Cato Institute. By the time he died, he was by far the richest man in the country. He did little for public education and held basic democratic principles in disdain. His allegedly ruthless crushing of opponents through his secret police earned him

544-409: A "major pole" of corruption within the regime, describing him as "amassing great power and control over the regime's apparatus as well as a private fortune, often through intimidation behind the scenes." The communiqué likewise created speculation that "Chavez himself might be concerned about Cabello's growing influence but unable to diminish it." He is described by a contributor to The Atlantic as

680-567: A $ 50 million payment. These bribes were reportedly made so Derwick Associates could get public contracts from the Venezuelan government. Derwick Associates denied the charges stating that the allegations against themselves and Cabello are untrue and that they had no financial relationship with Cabello. Banesco also denied the allegations, calling them a lie. Cabello, along with Freddy Bernal and Eliezer Otaiza, have been accused of directing colectivos by organizing and paying them with money from

816-530: A 1.5% margin. Maduro continued most of the existing economic policies of his predecessor Chávez . Upon entering the presidency, his administration faced a high inflation rate and large shortages of goods, problems left over from Chávez's policies. Maduro said capitalist speculation had driven high rates of inflation and created widespread shortages of basic necessities. He enacted economic measures against political opponents, who he and loyalists stated were behind an international economic conspiracy. Maduro

952-548: A 70% shortage of medicines in Venezuelan pharmacies. In 2018, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reported that approximately one-third (22,000 of 66,138) of registered physicians left Venezuela as of 2014. Rosemary DiCarlo from the UN said that 40% of medical professionals had left Venezuela and supplies of medicine were at 20% of levels needed. The Venezuelan Medical Federation said that doctors were leaving

1088-515: A Venezuelan oil company to a small Bulgarian bank , Investbank , after disclosing an investigation into suspected money laundering. The Bulgarian government had frozen accounts at the bank, and was looking into accounts at other institutions. The Bulgarian government has frozen accounts at the bank. US Ambassador to Bulgaria Eric Rubin confirmed that the US government "[was] working very closely with Bulgaria and other members of European Union to ensure that

1224-874: A bridge in Venezuela is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Crisis in Venezuela This is an accepted version of this page [REDACTED] [REDACTED] GPPSB [REDACTED] MUD / AD / PU [REDACTED] Hugo Chávez † [REDACTED] Nicolás Maduro [REDACTED] Diosdado Cabello [REDACTED] Delcy Rodríguez [REDACTED] Tareck El Aissami [REDACTED] Leopoldo López [REDACTED] Juan Guaidó [REDACTED] Henrique Capriles [REDACTED] María Corina Machado [REDACTED] Edmundo González An ongoing socioeconomic and political crisis began in Venezuela during

1360-470: A complex humanitarian emergency that requires a full-scale response by the United Nations secretary-general." The Washington Post states that the report describes a healthcare system that is in "utter collapse", with diseases that are preventable via vaccination spreading, and "dramatic surges" in infectious diseases once eradicated in Venezuela. The economic crisis in Venezuela started around 2010, and

1496-538: A constitutional reform that would have allowed him unlimited opportunities for reelection". Some criticisms of corruption came from Chávez's own supporters, with Chávez's initial political party, the Fifth Republic Movement (MVR), being criticized as being riddled with the same cronyism, political patronage, and corruption that Chávez alleged were characteristic of the old "Fourth Republic" political parties. In early 2000, Chávez's friend and co-conspirator in

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1632-503: A decree that any corruption was punishable by death, according to the Cato Institute. Authors Beddow and Thibodeaux stated that Karl Marx called Bolívar a "[f]alsifier, deserter, conspirator, liar, coward, and looter". Marx dismissed Bolívar as a "false liberator who merely sought to preserve the power of the old Creole nobility which he belonged". According to Marx, after Bolívar arrived in Caracas in 1813, Bolívar's "dictatorship soon proved

1768-564: A doctor in Barquisimeto , Venezuela who is a member of the Venezuelan National Academy of Medicine, told NPR that the report gave an accurate, thorough and timely depiction of the medical situation in his country; he had no affiliation with the report, but said that he had seen cases where there were not even catheters for hooking up children who appeared to have malnutrition for intravenous therapy . Spiegel adds that, because of

1904-523: A head when the National Assembly stated that the results of the May 2018 presidential election were invalid and declared National Assembly president Juan Guaidó to be the acting president, citing several clauses of the 1999 Venezuelan Constitution . The 2024 Venezuelan political crisis is the crisis that continued after the 2024 Venezuelan presidential election results were announced. Maduro ran for

2040-416: A little over one year. Cipriano Castro served as governor of Táchira until he was overthrown and exiled to Colombia in 1892. He then amassed considerable wealth through illegal cattle trading and hired a private army with which he intended to march on Caracas. After a successful coup in 1899, his dictatorship was one of the most corrupt periods in Venezuela's history. Once in charge, Castro began plundering

2176-480: A long roster of military officials for each shipment of food he brings in from ... the US. It's an unbroken chain of bribery from when your ship comes in until the food is driven out in trucks." A National Guard lieutenant denies this charge, saying corruption would be worse if the military were not involved; government and military officials say the opposition is overstating the corruption problem for their own benefit. Retired General Antonio Rivero said that "Maduro

2312-450: A military anarchy, leaving the most important affairs in the hands of favorites, who squandered the finances of the country, and then resorted to odious means in order to restore them". On 1 January 1814, an assembly gathered and "a junta of the most influential inhabitants of Caracas" gathered under Bolívar, legally naming him dictator. Three years later, Bolívar, who had a troubled relationship with General Manuel Piar , allegedly created

2448-497: A plan to get rid of Piar that involved false accusations of Piar "having conspired against the whites , plotted against Bolivar's life, and aspired to the supreme power" which ultimately resulted in Piar's execution on 16 October 1817. During his presidency in the 1820s, Bolívar made two decrees stating corruption was "the violation of the public interest" and reinforced his edict by saying such actions were punishable by death, according to

2584-464: A private flight paid for by Argentine and Venezuelan state officials. Wilson was carrying $ 800,000 USD in cash, which the police seized on arrival. A few days later Wilson, a Venezuelan-American and a close friend of Chávez's, was a guest at a signing ceremony involving Cristina Kirchner and Chávez at the Casa Rosada. He was later arrested on money laundering and contraband charges. It was alleged that

2720-479: A result of low oil prices in early 2015 , and a drop in Venezuela's oil production from lack of maintenance and investment. The government failed to cut spending in the face of falling oil revenues, and has dealt with the crisis by denying its existence and violently repressing opposition. Extrajudicial killings by the Venezuelan government became common, with the United Nations (UN) reporting 5,287 killings by

2856-448: A scale from 0 ("highly corrupt") to 100 ("very clean"). When ranked by score, Venezuela ranked 177th among the 180 countries in the Index, where the country ranked first is perceived to have the most honest public sector. For comparison with worldwide scores, the best score was 90 (ranked 1), the average score was 43, and the worst score was 11 (ranked 180). For comparison with regional scores,

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2992-531: A scandal and what Bloomberg News called "an international imbroglio," with the U.S. accusing five men of being secret Chávez agents whose mission was to cover up the attempt to deliver the cash. According to the United States Department of Defense 's PRISM journal, the $ 800,000 in cash may have also been a payment from Iran to Cristina Kirchner. It was alleged that Chávez helped a deal for Iran to obtain nuclear technology from Argentina and to cover up

3128-620: A sidewalk; the people are typically unemployed, but are "frequently joined by small business owners, college students and pensioners—people who consider themselves middle class even though their living standards have long ago been pulverized by triple-digit inflation, food shortages and a collapsing currency". A waste collection official in Maracaibo reported that most of the trash bags he received had been gone through by people searching for food. One dump reports finding parts of dismembered animals, like "dogs, cats, donkeys, horses and pigeons" and there

3264-749: A system in which the FARC would provide the Venezuelan government with drugs that would be transported in live cattle across the Venezuelan-Colombian border while the FARC would receive money and weaponry from the Venezuelan government after receiving the drugs. According to Salazar, this was done in order to weaken Colombian President Álvaro Uribe , an enemy of Chávez. In 2008, the U.S. Department of Treasury accused two senior Venezuelan government officials Hugo Carvajal and Henry Rangel Silva and one former official, Ramon Rodriguez Chacin , of providing material assistance for drug-trafficking operations carried out by

3400-499: A third consecutive term, while former diplomat Edmundo González Urrutia represented the Unitary Platform ( Spanish : Plataforma Unitaria Democrática ; PUD), the main opposition political alliance, after the Venezuelan government barred leading candidate María Corina Machado from participating. Academics, news outlets and the opposition provided "strong evidence" according to The Guardian . to suggest that González won

3536-607: A year, and preventable diseases like diphtheria, malaria, measles and tuberculosis are rising in 2019, along with hepatitis A, because of sanitation and lack of access to water. The April 2019 HRW/Johns Hopkins report showed this rise in infectious and preventable diseases, as well as increasing malnutrition, infant and maternal death, and undertreatment of HIV . Inflation and medicine shortages have meant that patients are asked to bring their own food, water and soap, and medical supplies including scalpels and syringes. In August 2019, as part of regional efforts to help Venezuelan migrants,

3672-441: Is evidence that people are eating wildlife such as anteaters, flamingos, vultures and lizards. "Hunger, malnutrition, and severe food shortages are widespread in all Venezuela", according to Human Rights Watch. Doctors at 21 public hospitals in 17 Venezuelan states told The New York Times in 2017 that "their emergency rooms were being overwhelmed by children with severe malnutrition—a condition they had rarely encountered before

3808-464: Is trying to prevent soldiers from going hungry and being tempted to participate in an uprising against an increasingly unpopular government", adding that using the military to control food distribution has "drained the feeling of rebellion from the armed forces" by giving soldiers access to food denied others, with the resulting corruption increasing shortages for the general public. The colectivos are also involved in food trafficking, selling food on

3944-417: The 1992 Venezuelan coup d'état attempts Jesús Urdaneta was appointed head of Venezuela's intelligence agency, DISIP . Urdaneta began receiving reports that Chávez's allies, Luis Miquilena, leader of the National Assembly and José Vicente Rangel , Chávez's foreign minister, were keeping public funds for themselves. Urdaneta brought this to Chávez's attention, but Chávez ignored his advice saying that he needed

4080-517: The 2004 Venezuela recall elections, with the Venezuelan citizenship granting Granda "a base of operations " to perform illicit operations internationally. In May 2006, the head of Venezuelan Military Intelligence, Hugo Carvajal , was allegedly at a meeting with Germán Briceño Suárez "Grannobles", a FARC Commander of the Eastern Bloc of the FARC-EP , with the meeting's perimeter protected by members of

4216-561: The 2013 Venezuelan presidential election potentially for the 2015 Venezuelan parliamentary elections . One informant stated that the two would often fly out of Terminal 4 of Simon Bolivar Airport , a terminal reserved for the president. Information presented to the United States State Department by Stratfor claimed that Diosdado Cabello was "head of one of the major centers of corruption in Venezuela." A Wikileaked U.S. Embassy cable from 2009 characterized Cabello as

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4352-524: The 2017 Constituent National Assembly (ANC). The Democratic Unity Roundtable —the opposition to the incumbent ruling party—boycotted the election, and the incumbent Great Patriotic Pole , dominated by the United Socialist Party of Venezuela , won almost all seats in the assembly by default. The ANC was sworn in on 4 August 2017, and the next day declared itself to be the government branch with supreme power in Venezuela, banning

4488-485: The 2019 Venezuelan blackouts which started on 7 March, the water distribution system also had shortages. Analysts said that two-thirds of Venezuela's population (20 million people) were without water, partially or completely, in the weeks after the blackouts. The head of the infectious disease department at the University Hospital of Caracas , María Eugenia Landaeta said that, without access to clean water,

4624-520: The AMIA bombing information, with Venezuela also purchasing Argentine debt in the dealing. Iranian and Argentine relations improved shortly after the incident. In mid 2010, tons of rotten food supplies imported during Chávez's government through subsidies of state-owned enterprise PDVAL were found. Due to the scandal, PDVAL started being administrated by the Vicepresidency of Venezuela and afterwards by

4760-561: The Cato Institute . In 1991, author Ruth Capriles wrote The history of corruption in Venezuela is the history of our democracy depicting the many instances of corruption in the country. In 1997, Pro Calidad de Vida , a Venezuelan NGO , claimed that around $ 100 billion from oil revenue has been misused in the preceding 25 years, according to the Cato Institute. During the Venezuelan War of Independence in 1813, Simón Bolívar made

4896-573: The FARC guerrilla group in Colombia. According to Colombian weekly Semana , Hugo Carvajal, the director of the Dirección General de Inteligencia Militar (DGIM), the Venezuelan agency in charge of Military Intelligence, was also involved in supporting FARC drug trafficking and was only under the commands of Hugo Chávez. Carvajal had allegedly protected and gave forged IDs to Colombian drug traffickers and

5032-749: The Great Depression in the United States , the 1985–1994 Brazilian economic crisis , or the 2008–2009 hyperinflation in Zimbabwe . Writers have compared aspects, such as unemployment and GDP contraction, to that of Bosnia and Herzegovina after the 1992–95 Bosnian War , and those in Russia , Cuba and Albania following the Revolutions of 1989 . In June 2010, Chávez declared an "economic war" due to increasing shortages in Venezuela . The crisis intensified under

5168-474: The Special Action Forces (FAES) in 2017, with at least another 1,569 killings recorded in the first six months of 2019; the UN had "reasonable grounds to believe that many of these killings constitute extrajudicial executions" and characterized the security operations as "aimed at neutralizing, repressing and criminalizing political opponents and people critical of the government". The UN also stated that

5304-553: The United States Department of Justice that there was "extensive evidence to justify that Cabello is one of the heads, if not the head, of the cartel" and that he is "certainly is a main target" of investigations being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration involving drug trafficking in Venezuela. In 2014, Cabello was charged by a court in Miami, Florida of accepting bribes from Derwick Associates including

5440-548: The Venezuelan National Guard , Venezuelan Military Intelligence and Bolivarian Intelligence Service . The meeting between Carvajal and Briceño Suárez involved talks about logistical and political support while also creating plans to meet with Chávez. Chávez's former bodyguard Leamsy Salazar stated in Bumerán Chávez that Chávez met with the high command of FARC in 2007 somewhere in rural Venezuela. Chávez created

5576-686: The World Health Organization (WHO), the PAHO and Venezuelan sources, the report was based on 156 interviews with Venezuelan emigrants to Colombia and Brazil, officials from relief and humanitarian organizations, Venezuelan health care professionals, and UN and government officials from Brazil and Colombia. Most of the interviews occurred in July or August 2018 in visits by the experts to the Venezuelan border towns of Cúcuta , Colombia and Boa Vista or Pacaraima , Brazil. The Washington Post stated that

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5712-467: The aftermath of the government's announcement of falsified results, protests broke out across the country , as the Maduro administration initiated Operation Tun Tun , a crackdown on dissent, and detained opposition political figures while refusing to relinquish power. Criminalization of protest was widely condemned by human rights organizations. Maduro did not acknowledge the results which showed him losing

5848-417: The " Frank Underwood " of Venezuela under whose watch the National Assembly of Venezuela has made a habit of ignoring constitutional hurdles entirely—at various times preventing opposition members from speaking in session, suspending their salaries, stripping particularly problematic legislators of parliamentary immunity, and, on one occasion, even presiding over the physical beating of unfriendly lawmakers while

5984-535: The Alimentation Ministry. Three former managers were detained, but were released afterwards and two of them had their positions restored. In July 2010, official estimates stated that 130,000 tons of food supplies were affected, while the political opposition informed of 170,000 tons. As of 2012, any advances in the investigations by the National Assembly were unknown. The most accepted explanation of

6120-525: The Bolivarian Revolution, the government began providing free healthcare, with Cuban medical professionals providing aid. The government's failure to concentrate on healthcare and a reduction in spending on healthcare, along with unchecked government corruption resulted in avoidable deaths due to severe shortages of medical supplies and equipment, and the emigration of medical professionals to other countries. Venezuela's reliance on imported goods and

6256-475: The Cato Institute. Chávez reportedly made promises and carried out most payments of nearly US$ 70 billion to foreign leaders without the consultation of the people of Venezuela and without normal legal procedures, according to the Cato Institute. In August 2007, Antonini Wilson  [ es ] , a self-identified member of the entourage of Hugo Chávez, who was about to visit Argentina, arrived in Argentina on

6392-580: The Cato Institute. However under Bolívar, orders were made to plunder cities, with ornaments from churches being stolen to finance his military forces. In 1826, the Congress of Gran Colombia, which was subservient to Bolívar and had been suffering from financial issues, awarded Bolívar over 1 million pesos while other officials resorted to appropriating and expropriating from the public. Marx stated that Bolívar's instigation of multiple armed situations in order to maintain power and his desire for "the erection of

6528-525: The Dominican Republic. While rushing out of Venezuela, Pérez Jiménez left $ 2 million in a suitcase on the runway of La Carlota Airport . During the first administration of Carlos Andrés Pérez from 1974 to 1979, the 1973 oil crisis caused petroleum profits to be at record highs. His government substantially increased debt, nationalized the oil industry into PDVSA , as well as the iron industry, created new state-owned companies, nationalized

6664-483: The HRW/Johns Hopkins report "paints an extremely grim picture of life in Venezuela, whose once-prosperous economy has imploded because of mismanagement and corruption under Maduro"; it documents rising maternal and infant death, spread of preventable diseases, food insecurity, and child malnutrition. HRW declared that the "combination of severe medicine and food shortages ... with the spread of disease ... amounts to

6800-703: The IE Business School in Madrid, the economic woes Venezuela continued to suffer under Maduro would have occurred even if Chávez were still in power. In early 2013, shortly after Chávez's death, Foreign Policy stated that whoever succeeded Chávez would "inherit one of the most dysfunctional economies in the Americas—and just as the bill for the deceased leader's policies comes due." Following Chávez's death in 2013, Nicolás Maduro became president after defeating his opponent Henrique Capriles Radonski by 235,000 votes,

6936-746: The Islamist militant group, Hezbollah as well as the Syrian government to receive funds. As 2016 concluded, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), an international non-governmental organization that investigates crime and corruption, gave President Maduro the Person of the Year Award that "recognizes the individual who has done the most in the world to advance organized criminal activity and corruption". The OCCRP stated that they "chose Maduro for

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7072-610: The Living Conditions Survey by the Andrés Bello Catholic University (Encovi in Spanish, Encuesta de Condiciones de Vida ), by 2021 94.5% of the population was in poverty based on income, out of which 76.6% lived under extreme poverty, the highest figure ever recorded in the country. More than 70% of Venezuela's food is imported; Venezuela became so dependent on food imports that it could no longer afford when

7208-424: The Maduro government had obtained "extra money from selling gold (both from illegal mines and from its reserves) and narcotics". Since 2010, Venezuela has been suffering a socioeconomic crisis under Maduro, and briefly under his predecessor, Chávez. As a result of discontent with the government, in the 2015 parliamentary election the opposition was elected to the majority in the National Assembly , after which

7344-430: The Maduro government, growing more severe as a result of low oil prices in 2015 , and a drop in oil production from lack of maintenance and investment. In January 2016, the opposition-led National Assembly declared a "health humanitarian crisis". The government failed to cut spending in the face of falling oil revenues, denied the existence of a crisis, and violently repressed opposition . Extrajudicial killings by

7480-759: The Middle East. According to long-time serving New York district attorney Robert Morgenthau , high-ranking Venezuelan officials turned Venezuela to "a global cocaine hub" and his office had found that cocaine in New York was linked to Venezuela, Iran and Hezbollah. Morgenthau also explained how Hugo Chávez's government allegedly assisted Iran with drug trafficking so Iran could circumvent sanctions and fund their development of nuclear weapons and other armaments. In March 2012, Venezuela's National Assembly removed Supreme Court Justice Eladio Aponte Aponte from his post after an investigation revealed alleged ties to drug-trafficking. On

7616-486: The NGO Transparency International (TNI) ranked Venezuela among the most corrupt countries in the world A 2013 survey by TNI in 2013 found that 68% of those believed that the government's efforts to fight corruption were ineffective; a majority of those surveyed said the government's effort against corruption were ineffective, that corruption had increased from 2007 to 2010, and perceived political parties,

7752-623: The Special Action Forces "would plant arms and drugs and fire their weapons against the walls or in the air to suggest a confrontation and to show the victim had resisted authority" and that some of the killings were "done as a reprisal for [the victims'] participation in anti-government demonstrations." In January 2016, the National Assembly declared a "health humanitarian crisis" given the "serious shortage of medicines, medical supplies and deterioration of humanitarian infrastructure", asking Maduro's government to "guarantee immediate access to

7888-457: The Treasury accused Rodriguez Chacín of materially assisting FARC's narcotics trafficking activities. The Venezuelan government responded to these allegations saying he was not guilty of those charges. US intelligence officials claimed that in an email between Rodriguez Chacín and the FARC leadership, Rodriguez Chacín asked to train Venezuela's military in guerrilla tactics as preparation in case

8024-535: The United States invaded the area. They also claimed that regarding an alleged 250 million dollar Venezuelan loan to buy weapons, Rodriguez Chacín wrote: "don't think of it as a loan, think of it as solidarity". The source for these documents was allegedly a 2008 cross-border raid by Colombian military into Ecuador which destroyed a FARC camp. Venezuelan Ambassador to the United States Bernardo Alvarez stated, "We don't recognized [ sic ]

8160-459: The United States promised that it will provide thousands of doses of HIV medication to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and to treat those who have it. In April 2019, Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health published the results of a joint, year-long research project in a report entitled "Venezuela's humanitarian emergency: Large-scale UN response needed to address health and food crises". Combined with data from

8296-466: The University of Caracas Medical Hospital stopped performing surgeries due to the lack of supplies, even though nearly 3,000 people required surgery. By early 2015, only 35% of hospital beds were available and 50% of operating rooms could not function due to the lack of resources. In March 2015, a Venezuelan NGO, Red de Medicos por la Salud, reported that there was a 68% shortage of surgical supplies and

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8432-541: The Venezuelan Medical Federation saying that 9 of 10 large hospitals had only 7% of required supplies and private doctors reporting numbers of patients that are "impossible" to count "dying from easily treatable illnesses when Venezuela's downward economic slide accelerated after Chávez's death". Many Venezuelans died avoidable deaths with medical professionals having scarce resources and using methods that were replaced decades ago. In February 2014, doctors at

8568-571: The Venezuelan government were also being investigated for their involvement of drug trafficking, including Walter Jacobo Gavidia, Flores' son who is a Caracas judge, National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello , and Governor of Aragua State Tarek El Aissami . In May 2015, The Wall Street Journal reported from United States officials that drug trafficking in Venezuela increased significantly with Colombian drug traffickers moving from Colombia to Venezuela due to pressure from law enforcement. One United States Department of Justice official described

8704-538: The assembly was meeting. There are currently at least 17 formal corruption allegations lodged against Cabello in Venezuela's prosecutors office. His figurehead Rafael Sarría, was investigated and deported from the US in 2010. Cabello has been accused of being involved in illegal drug trade in Venezuela and was accused of being a leader of the Cartel of the Suns . On 18 May 2015, The Wall Street Journal reported from sources in

8840-480: The black market; a colectivo leader told InSight Crime that trafficking food and medicine is as profitable as drug-running, but carries less risk. With shadowy connections to the government, The Washington Post says "some have been put in charge of the distribution of government food packages in poor areas—giving them control over hungry neighborhoods." The Associated Press reports that people gather every evening in downtown Caracas in search of food thrown out on

8976-459: The business elite, while critics of the government say the cause is economic mismanagement and corruption. Most observers cite anti-democratic governance, corruption, and mismanagement of the economy as causes. Others attribute the crisis to the " socialist ", " populist ", or "hyper-populist" nature of the government's policies, and the use of these to maintain political power. National and international analysts and economists stated

9112-451: The cash was to have been delivered to the Kirchner's as a clandestine contribution to Cristina's campaign chest from President Chávez. Fernández, as a fellow leftist, was a political ally of Chávez. This was seen as a similar move that Chávez allegedly used to give payments to leftist candidates in presidential races for Bolivia and Mexico in order to back his anti-US allies. The incident led to

9248-488: The central bank and replaced its board with cabinet members, eliminating the bank's independence as a result. The result of these policies was a system of patrimonialism and increased government corruption. In 1980, the Venezuelan Congress found Carlos Andrés politically responsible for the overprice in the purchase of the ship Sierra Nevada , but acquitted him of administrative and moral responsibility. During

9384-683: The centralizing powers in the government, creating less accountability for corruption and making it prevalent throughout Venezuela. Chávez's successor, Nicolás Maduro was criticized for allowing corruption to remain in the government. In an article by The Washington Post , Venezuela's dire situation under Maduro was described as "a man-made disaster". The Bolivarian government was also seen as "a gangster state that doesn't know how to do anything other than sell drugs and steal money for itself" since Maduro's family members and close government officials were accused of being involved in illicit drug trade. The Corruption Perceptions Index , produced annually by

9520-836: The chance of people contracting bacterial infections increased, and that doctors had seen during the blackouts "surges in diarrhea, typhoid fever and hepatitis A ", while non-sterile water and lack of hygiene was contributing to postpartum infections . By 2017, hunger had escalated to the point where almost seventy-five percent of the population had lost an average of over 8 kg (over 19 lbs) in weight and more than half did not have enough income to meet their basic food needs. An UN report estimated in March 2019 that 94% of Venezuelans lived in poverty, and by 2021 almost twenty percent of Venezuelans (5.4 million) had left their country. The UN analysis estimates in 2019 that 25% of Venezuelans need some form of humanitarian assistance. Venezuela led

9656-430: The complicated exchange rates initiated under Chávez led to increasing shortages during the late 2000s and into the 2010s that affected the availability of medicines and medical equipment in the country. Associated Press says the government stopped publishing medical statistics in 2010. The Health Minister changed multiple times during Chávez's presidency. According to a high-ranking official of Venezuela's Health Ministry,

9792-451: The country has resulted in severe economic difficulties, part of the crisis in Venezuela . A 2014 Gallup poll found that 75% of Venezuelans believed that corruption was widespread throughout the Venezuelan government. Discontent with corruption was cited by demonstrators as one of the reasons for the 2014 and 2017 Venezuelan protests . According to Transparency International 's 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index , Venezuela scored 13 on

9928-411: The country. The UN analysis estimates in 2019 that 25% of Venezuelans needed some form of humanitarian assistance. Following increased international sanctions throughout 2019, the Maduro government abandoned policies established by Chávez such as price and currency controls, which resulted in the country seeing a temporary rebound from economic decline before COVID entered Venezuela. As a response to

10064-630: The crisis is not the result of a conflict, natural disaster, or sanctions, but the consequences of populist policies and corrupt practices that began under the Chávez administration's Bolivarian Revolution and continued under Maduro. The crisis has affected the life of the average Venezuelan on all levels. By 2017, hunger had escalated to the point where almost 75% of the population had lost an average of over 8 kg (over 19 lbs) and more than half did not have enough income to meet their basic food needs. By 2021 20% of Venezuelans (5.4 million) had left

10200-584: The crisis. As a response to human rights abuses, the degradation in the rule of law, and corruption, the European Union , the Lima Group , the US and other countries have applied sanctions against government officials and members of the military and security forces. The US extended its sanctions to the petroleum sector. Supporters of Chávez and Maduro said the problems result from an "economic war" on Venezuela, falling oil prices, international sanctions , and

10336-541: The day he was to face questioning, Aponte Aponte fled the country, and has sought refuge in the U.S., where he began to cooperate with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Department of Justice. Aponte says that, while serving as a judge, he was forced to acquit an army commander who had connections with a 2 metric ton shipment of cocaine. Aponte also claimed that Henry Rangel , former defense minister of Venezuela, and General Clíver Alcalá Cordones were involved in

10472-455: The devaluation of the official bolívar currency , by 2019 the population increasingly started relying on US dollars for transactions. According to the national Living Conditions Survey (ENCOVI), by 2021 95% of the population was living in poverty based on income, out of which 77% lived under extreme poverty, the highest figure ever recorded in the country. In 2022, after the implementation of mild economic liberalization , poverty decreased and

10608-404: The dictatorship. In 1957 during the time of reelection, voters had only the choice between voting "yes" or "no" to another term for Jiménez. Pérez Jiménez won by a large margin, though by numerous accounts the count was blatantly rigged. On 23 January 1958, a coup d'état was performed against Pérez Jiménez. Pérez Jiménez, fleeing from Miraflores Palace, went to La Carlota Airport to seek exile in

10744-526: The drug trade. In September 2013, an incident involving men from the Venezuelan National Guard placing 31 suitcases containing 1.3 tons of cocaine on a Paris flight astonished French authorities. Months later on 15 February 2014, a commander for the Guard was stopped while driving to Valencia with his family and was arrested for having 554 kilos of cocaine in his possession. On 22 July 2014, Hugo Carvajal , former head of Venezuelan military-intelligence that

10880-424: The early 2000s led to levels of funds not seen in Venezuela since the 1980s. Chávez established Bolivarian missions , aimed at providing public services to improve economic, cultural, and social conditions. According to Corrales and Penfold, "aid was disbursed to some of the poor and, more gravely, in a way that ended up helping the president and his allies and cronies more than anyone else". Nonetheless, poverty

11016-456: The early-2000s, Hugo Chávez's relationship with FARC caused uneasiness among the military in Venezuela. In January 2005, intelligence firm Stratfor reported that the controversial arrest of Rodrigo Granda in December 2004 showed Chávez's support of the FARC after he was allegedly put under pressure from FARC and due to Granda's Venezuelan citizenship being granted before Chávez's involvement in

11152-573: The economic crisis began", and that "hundreds have died". The government has responded with "a near-total blackout of health statistics, and by creating a culture in which doctors are often afraid to register cases and deaths that may be associated with the government's failures". The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN said that less than 5% of Venezuelans were undernourished between 2008 and 2013, but that number had more than doubled, to almost 12% from 2015 and 2017, representing 3.7 million people. A 2016 survey found that almost three-quarters of

11288-602: The economy for personal gain, spreading " Bolivarian propaganda ", buying the loyalty of the military, officials involved in drug trade, assisting terrorists, intimidation of the media, and human rights abuses of its citizens. According to Foreign Policy , Venezuela's corruption helped Hugo Chávez gain power and worsened under the Bolivarian government. Though the Bolivarian government states that they have implemented strict guidelines and laws to deter corruption, enforcement of such anti-corruption laws had been weak following

11424-510: The economy grew for the first time in 8 years. Despite these improvements, Venezuela continues to have the highest rate of inequality in the Americas. Although food shortages and hyperinflation have largely ended, inflation remains high. After attempting a coup d'état in 1992 and being pardoned by President Rafael Caldera , Hugo Chávez was elected president and maintained the presidency from 1999 until his death in 2013. Increasing oil prices in

11560-543: The election by a wide margin. The government-controlled National Electoral Council (CNE) announced results claiming a narrow Maduro victory on 29 July. A 6 August article in The New York Times stated that the CNE declaration that Maduro won "plunged Venezuela into a political crisis that has claimed at least 22 lives in violent demonstrations, led to the jailing of more than 2,000 people and provoked global denunciation." In

11696-745: The election, and instead asked the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) on 1 August to audit and approve the results. On 22 August, as anticipated, the TSJ described the CNE's statement of Maduro winning the election as "validated". The Wall Street Journal reported in March 2019 that poverty was double that of 2014. A study from Andrés Bello Catholic University indicated that by 2019 at least 8 million Venezuelans did not have enough to eat. A UN report estimated in March 2019 that 94% of Venezuelans live in poverty, and that one quarter of Venezuelans need some form of humanitarian assistance . According to

11832-555: The embezzlement of 250 million bolivars belonging to a presidential discretionary fund, or partida secreta . The issue had originally been brought to public scrutiny in November 1992 by journalist José Vicente Rangel . Pérez and his supporters claim the money was used to support the electoral process in Nicaragua . On 20 May 1993, the Supreme Court considered the accusation valid, and

11968-556: The few. It has also impoverished the many. Matt O'Brien of The Washington Post , 2016 According to Jackson Diehl , Deputy Editorial Page Editor of The Washington Post , the Bolivarian government of Venezuela shelters "one of the world's biggest drug cartels". There have been allegations of former president Hugo Chávez being involved with drug trafficking and at the time of the arrest of Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores ' nephews in November 2015, multiple high-ranking members of

12104-661: The following day the Senate voted to strip Pérez of his immunity. Pérez refused to resign, but after the maximum 90 days temporary leave available to the President under Article 188 of the 1961 constitution, the National Congress removed Pérez from office permanently on 31 August . The government in place following the Bolivarian Revolution that was initiated by Hugo Chávez has been frequently accused of corruption, abuse of

12240-424: The following year. As a response to the devaluation of the official bolívar currency , by 2019 the population increasingly started relying on US dollars for transactions. Maduro described dollarization as an "escape valve" that helps the recovery of the country, the spread of productive forces in the country and the economy. However, Maduro said that the Venezuelan bolívar remained as the national currency. During

12376-498: The funds of Petróleos de Venezuela . Ramón Rodríguez Chacín took part in the 1992 Coup d'état attempts and later became involved in Venezuelan politics under the government of Hugo Chávez. The German magazine Der Spiegel reported in 2008 that Rodriguez Chacín was a frequent guest at FARC camps in Colombia and that Hugo Chávez had assigned him the task of managing communications with FARC. In September 2008, The U.S. Department of

12512-612: The global award on the strength of his corrupt and oppressive reign, so rife with mismanagement that citizens of his oil-rich nation are literally starving and begging for medicines" and that Maduro and his family steal millions of dollars from government coffers to fund patronage that maintains President Maduro's power in Venezuela. The group also explains how Maduro had overruled the legislative branch filled with opposition politicians, repressed citizen protests and had relatives involved in drug trafficking. In early 2019, Bulgarian officials disclosed that millions of Euros were transferred from

12648-548: The government became common, with the UN reporting 5,287 killings by the Special Action Forces in 2017, with at least another 1,569 killings in the first six months of 2019, stating some killings were "done as a reprisal for [the victims'] participation in anti-government demonstrations." Political corruption , chronic shortages of food and medicine, closure of businesses, unemployment, deterioration of productivity, authoritarianism , human rights violations , gross economic mismanagement and high dependence on oil have contributed to

12784-573: The government due to impunity towards members of the government, bribes and the lack of transparency, according to the Cato Institute. In 2004, Hugo Chávez and his allies took over the Supreme Court, filling it with supporters of Chávez and made new measures so the government could dismiss justices from the court. According to the Cato Institute, the National Electoral Council of Venezuela was under control of Chávez where he tried to "push

12920-775: The government had produced health bulletins for several decades. In March 2019, The Wall Street Journal reported that the "collapse of Venezuela's health system, once one of the best in Latin America, has led to a surge in infant and maternal mortality rates and a return of rare diseases that were considered all but eradicated. Health officials say malaria, yellow fever, diphtheria, dengue and tuberculosis are now spreading from Venezuela to neighboring countries as Venezuelan refugees surge over borders." The United Nations estimated in 2019 that 2.8 million Venezuelans have healthcare needs, 300,000 are at risk of dying with cancer, diabetes or HIV as they have not had access to medicine for more than

13056-424: The health crisis followed by two years and significantly worsened in 2017, but the situation in 2019 "is even more dismal than researchers expected". Paul Spiegel, MD, who was the editor and reviewer of the report said, "Venezuela is a middle-income country with a previously strong infrastructure, so just to see this incredible decline ... in such a short period of time is quite astonishing." Alberto Paniz-Mondolfi ,

13192-405: The help of the families of the deceased, to try to supply surviving patients. One study of 6,500 households by three of the main universities in Venezuela found that "74% of the population had lost on average nineteen pounds in 2016". In April 2017 Venezuela's health ministry reported that maternal mortality jumped by 65% in 2016 and that the number of infant deaths rose by 30%. It also said that

13328-555: The higher ranks of the Venezuelan government and military as "a criminal organization", with high ranking Venezuelan officials, such as National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello, being accused of drug trafficking. Those involved with investigations stated that Venezuelan government defectors and former traffickers had given information to investigators and that details of those involved in government drug trafficking were increasing. Anti-drug authorities have also accused some Venezuelan officials of working with Mexican drug cartels . In

13464-432: The highest score among the countries of the Americas was 76, the average score was 43 and the lowest score was Venezuela's, 13. In 2023, Transparencia Venezuela announced that the amount of money in judicial cases of 26 different countries investigating government corruption amounted to at least $ 70 billion dollars. The history of Venezuela has been mired with "persistent and intense presence of corruption", according to

13600-486: The infrastructure and trained personnel in Venezuela, aid can be distributed quickly once delivered to Venezuela. Corruption in Venezuela The level of corruption in Venezuela is very high by world standards and is prevalent throughout many levels of Venezuelan society. Discovery of oil in Venezuela in the early 20th century worsened political corruption. The large amount of corruption and mismanagement in

13736-591: The judiciary, the parliament and the police to be the institutions most affected by corruption. In 2014, the World Justice Project ranked Venezuela's government in 99th place worldwide and gave it the worst ranking of countries in Latin America according to the Rule of Law Index 2014 and in 2015, the World Justice Project's Rule of Law Index 2015 report placed Venezuela as having the worst rule of law in

13872-497: The list of essential medicines that are basic and indispensable and that must be accessible at all times." In August, Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon declared that there was a humanitarian crisis in Venezuela caused by the lack of basic needs, including food, water, sanitation and clothing. Before the 2019 presidential crisis , the Maduro government denied several offers of aid, stating that there

14008-447: The loss of food supplies is the organization of PDVAL, because the food network allegedly imported supplies faster than what it could distribute them. The opposition considers the affair as a corrupt case and spokespeople have assured that the public officials deliberately imported more food that could be distributed to embezzle funds through the import of subsidized supplies. "It's been a big year for Maduro ... I think this year has been

14144-559: The lower classes who have benefited from these health initiatives and similar policies." According to Chosun Ilbo , Venezuela began to face economic difficulties due to Chávez's populist policies. On 2 June 2010, Chávez declared an "economic war" due to increasing shortages in Venezuela . Political corruption , chronic shortages of food and medicine, closure of businesses, unemployment, deterioration of productivity, authoritarianism , human rights violations , gross economic mismanagement and high dependence on oil have also contributed to

14280-458: The ministers were treated as scapegoats whenever issues with public health arose in Venezuela. He also said that officials of the Health Ministry engaged in corruption to enrich themselves by selling goods intended for public healthcare to others. Early in the Maduro presidency, the government could not supply enough money for medical supplies among healthcare providers, with the president of

14416-447: The needy. The government imports most of the food the country needs, it is controlled by the military, and the price paid for food is higher than justified by market prices. Venezuelans were spending "all day waiting in lines" to buy rationed food, "pediatric wards filled up with underweight children, and formerly middle-class adults began picking through rubbish bins for scraps". Several other factors have led to shortages: imports over

14552-529: The number of cases of malaria was up by 76%. Shortly after Minister of Health Antonieta Caporale released in 2017 this data, and health statistics showing increases in 2016 infant and maternal mortality and infectious diseases, Maduro fired her and replaced the physician with a pharmacist close to vice-president Tareck El Aissami , Luis López Chejade. The publications were removed from the Ministry's website, and no further health data has been made available, although

14688-447: The opposition-led National Assembly from performing actions that would interfere with the assembly. In February 2018 Maduro called presidential elections, four months before the prescribed date. There were many irregularities, including the banning from standing of several major opposition parties. Maduro was declared the winner in May 2018. Many said the elections were invalid. Politicians both internally and internationally said Maduro

14824-599: The outgoing ( lame duck ) National Assembly—consisting of Bolivarian officials—filled the Supreme Tribunal of Justice , the highest court in Venezuela, with Maduro allies. Maduro disavowed the National Assembly in 2017 leading to the 2017 Venezuelan constitutional crisis ; as of 2018, some considered the National Assembly the only "legitimate" institution left in the country, and human rights organizations said there were no independent institutional checks on presidential power. Protests grew to their most "combative" since they began in 2014. On 1 May 2017, Maduro called for

14960-417: The political experience of both men in order to establish power. $ 22.5 billion of public funds have been transferred from Venezuela to foreign accounts with half of that money being unaccounted for by anyone, according to the Cato Institute. José Guerra, a former Central Bank executive, claims that most of that money has been used to buy political allies in countries such as Cuba and Bolivia , according to

15096-491: The population said that, because of improper nutrition, they had lost on average 8.7 kg (19.4 lbs) and 64% said they lost 11 kg (24 lbs) in 2017. A 2016 Venebarometro poll of 1,200 Venezuelans found almost half are no longer able to eat three daily meals; the government blames this on an "economic war" they say is waged by the opposition. A UN report said that because of lack of water and sanitation, 4.3 million Venezuelans needed assistance in 2019. During

15232-415: The presidency of Hugo Chávez and has worsened during the presidency of successor Nicolás Maduro . It has been marked by hyperinflation , escalating starvation, disease, crime and mortality rates, resulting in massive emigration . It is the worst economic crisis in Venezuela's history, and the worst facing a country in peacetime since the mid-20th century. The crisis is often considered more severe than

15368-529: The presidency of Jaime Lusinchi , US$ 36 billion were misused by the foreign exchange program RECADI , according to the Cato Institute . Arrest warrants were issued against five businessmen for false imports into Venezuela as part of the exchange program, of which Chinese businessman Ho Fuk Wing was imprisoned for three years before being sentenced and detained for an additional four months. On 20 March 1993, Attorney General Ramón Escovar Salom  [ es ] introduced action against President Pérez for

15504-400: The price of oil dropped in 2014. Chávez gave the military control of food, and nationalized much of the industry, which was then neglected, leading to production shortages. With a "diminished food supply", Maduro put "generals in charge of everything from butter to rice". With the military in charge of food, food trafficking became profitable, bribes and corruption common, and food did not reach

15640-444: The public health care system because of shortages of drugs and equipment and poor pay. In August 2015 Human Rights Watch said "We have rarely seen access to essential medicines deteriorate as quickly as it has in Venezuela except in war zones." In 2015, the government reported that a third of patients admitted to public hospitals died. The medications of individuals who die are re-distributed through small-scale and local efforts, with

15776-445: The reputation of a tyrant. He was also accused by opponents of trying to turn the country into a personal fiefdom. Marcos Pérez Jiménez seized power through a coup in 1952 and declared himself provisional president until being formally elected in 1953. The government's National Security (Seguridad Nacional, secret police) was extremely repressive against critics of the regime and ruthlessly hunted down and imprisoned those who opposed

15912-403: The tipping point and his negligence, incompetence and corruption are the cause. When a country's leader can watch his people starve and still oversee a government stealing $ 70 billion a year all while his family deals drugs, it's a special kind of evil. He deserves this prize. Drew Sullivan, co-founder of OCCRP Allegations have been made that President Nicolás Maduro had cooperated with

16048-457: The treasury and modifying the constitution to convenience his administration. He had political opponents murdered or exiled, lived extravagantly and broke down diplomacy with foreign countries. He provoked numerous foreign actions, including the blockades and bombardments by British, German, and Italian naval vessels seeking to enforce the claims of their citizens against Castro's government. United States Secretary of State Elihu Root called Castro

16184-525: The treasury, abused his power, and, after a disagreement with a bishop, expelled any clergy who disagreed with him and seized property belonging to the Catholic Church. When facing severe disapproval during his administration, Guzmán Blanco ordered the body of Simon Bolivar to be exhumed and reburied in the National Pantheon of Venezuela to create an illusion of supporting Bolivar's ideals, despite

16320-402: The two men's drastically opposing views. In 1884, Guzmán appointed Joaquín Crespo to be his successor and to serve under him. Crespo was renowned for establishing the "ring of iron" by making connections with officials before the end of his first term in 1886. He placed his allies on congressional seats to help guarantee his reelection which angered Guzmán. A power struggle then ensued between

16456-474: The two years until the end of 2017 declined by two-thirds; hyperinflation has made food too costly for many Venezuelans; and for those who depend on food boxes supplied by the government, "these do not reach all Venezuelans who need them, provision of boxes is intermittent, and receipt is often linked to political support of the government". Corruption became a problem in the distribution of food. The operations director at one food import business says "he pays off

16592-455: The two, leaving Venezuelan politics weakened in its wake. After a rebellion was initiated against Crespo by José Manuel Hernández in March 1898, Crespo led troops to quell the rebels, but was killed by a stray bullet. Near the end of his life, Guzmán attempted to rule Venezuela from Europe until his death in Paris on 28 July 1899, leaving a political vacuum behind due to the loss of the two leaders

16728-441: The validity of any of these documents... They are false, and an attempt to discredit the Venezuelan government." Never has a country that should have been so rich been so poor ... It's a gangster state that doesn't know how to do anything other than sell drugs and steal money for itself ... Venezuela is the answer to what would happen if an economically illiterate drug cartel took over a country. This corruption hasn't just enriched

16864-554: The wealth of the people of Venezuela [was] not stolen". Bulgarian authorities reacted only after they were prompted by the US government. According to legal scholar Radosveta Vassileva , "multiple questions arise about the efficiency of Bulgarian secret services and the anti-money laundering protocols in the Investbank ." Investbank was one of six Bulgarian banks, which the European Central Bank assessed to evaluate if Bulgaria

17000-405: The whole of South America into one federative republic, with himself as its dictator" eventually led to his downfall. Antonio Guzmán Blanco led a fairly steady Venezuelan government that was allegedly rife with corruption. He sought to change Venezuela from a "backward and savage country", to a more prosperous, admiring the United States and especially France. Guzmán reportedly stole money from

17136-405: The world in murder rates , with 81.4 per 100,000 people killed in 2018, making it the third most violent country in the world. Following increased international sanctions throughout 2019, the Maduro government abandoned policies established by Chávez such as price and currency controls, which resulted in the country seeing a temporary rebound from economic decline before COVID-19 entered Venezuela

17272-521: The world, with the majority of Venezuelans believing that the Venezuelan government was not held accountable under the law, was corrupt, lacked transparency and did not respect the privacy of citizens. In December 1998, Hugo Chávez declared three goals for the new government; "convening a constituent assembly to write a new constitution, eliminating government corruption, and fighting against social exclusion and poverty". However, during Hugo Chávez's time in power, corruption has become widespread throughout

17408-521: The worsening crisis. The social works initiated by Chávez's government relied on oil products , the keystone of the Venezuelan economy, leading to Dutch disease according to Javier Corrales. By the early 2010s, economic actions taken by Chávez's government during the preceding decade, such as overspending and price controls, became unsustainable. Venezuela's economy faltered while poverty , inflation and shortages in Venezuela increased. According to Martinez Lázaro, professor of economics at

17544-603: Was also considered persona non-grata . In January 2015, the former security chief of both Hugo Chavez and Diosdado Cabello , Leamsy Salazar , made accusations that Cabello was involved in drug trade. Salazar was placed in witness protection , fleeing to the United States with assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration 's Special Operations Division after cooperation with the administration and providing possible details on Cabello's involvement with international drug trade. Salazar claims that Cabello

17680-475: Was being supposedly involved for the torture and execution captives. In a 2009 United States Congress report, it was stated that corruption in the Venezuelan armed forces was facilitating Colombian FARC guerillas' drug trafficking. In a 2011 article by The New York Times , Colonel Adel Mashmoushi, Lebanon's drug enforcement chief, stated that flights between Venezuela and Syria that were operated by Iran could have been used by Hezbollah to transport drugs into

17816-408: Was criticized for concentrating on public opinion, instead of tending to practical issues which economists had warned about, or creating ideas to improve Venezuela's economic prospects. By 2014, Venezuela had entered an economic recession and by 2016, the country had an inflation rate of 800%, the highest in its history. The crisis intensified under the Maduro government, growing more severe as

17952-475: Was cut more than 20 percent between 2002 and 2008. The Missions entailed the construction of thousands of free medical clinics for the poor, and the enactment of food and housing subsidies. A 2010 OAS report indicated achievements in addressing illiteracy, healthcare and poverty, and economic and social advances. The quality of life for Venezuelans had also improved according to a UN Index. Teresa A. Meade wrote that Chávez's popularity strongly depended "on

18088-568: Was involved with the 2008 allegations of being involved with the FARC, was detained in Aruba , despite having been admitted on a diplomatic passport and being named consul general to Aruba in January 2014. The arrest was carried out following a formal request by the U.S. government, which accuses Carvajal of ties to drug trafficking and to the FARC guerrilla group. On 27 July, Carvajal was released after authorities decided he had diplomatic immunity , but

18224-555: Was making progress towards joining the Eurozone . In 2023, Transparencia Venezuela announced that the amount of money in judicial cases of 26 different countries investigating chavismo corruption amounted to at least $ 70 billion dollars. Two nephews of Maduro's wife Cilia Flores, Efraín Antonio Campos Flores and Francisco Flores de Freites have been involved in illicit activities such as drug trafficking, with some of their funds allegedly assisting President Maduro's presidential campaign in

18360-477: Was not a humanitarian crisis and that such claims were used to justify foreign intervention. Maduro's refusal of aid worsened the effects of Venezuela's crisis. In March 2019, The Wall Street Journal said that "Mr. Maduro has long used food and other government handouts to pressure impoverished Venezuelans to attend pro-government rallies and to support him during elections as the country's economic meltdown has intensified." In 2019, The Economist wrote that

18496-466: Was not legitimately elected, and considered him an ineffective dictator. In the months leading up to his 10 January 2019 inauguration, Maduro was pressured to step down by nations and bodies including the Lima Group (excluding Mexico), the United States, and the OAS; this pressure was increased after the new National Assembly of Venezuela was sworn in on 5 January 2019. The 2019 presidential crisis came to

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