Maduro: The Venezuelan Crisis

The Venezuelan crisis is a social, economic and political crisis in Venezuela that started while Hugo Chávez was president and has since extended to the current presidency under Nicolás Maduro (BBC Documentary). The crisis has manifested through various economic challenges including the reduction of GDP, inflation, increased unemployment and added national debt. Social problems include poor housing, corruption, increased crime, worsening health care, hunger, and starvation. Politically, the country has been experiencing protests, most of which result in violence and the destruction of property, imprisonment and loss of lives. The current crisis was sparked following the Supreme Court’s suspension of the election of four legislators, three of

President Maduro and his allies are specifically interested in remaining in power for economic gains and political survival. This is particularly true considering the position of Venezuela in Latin America as a leading oil producer. The ruling administration is also interested in making changes to the constitution through the establishment of the National Constituent Assembly (ANC) (Rojas, 2017) to favor its political survival. President Maduro has been accused of corruption and leadership inefficiency, which are the major causes of institutional collapse in the country. Despite the call for change from both local and international voices, the ruling party has been able to remain stable due to its ability to remain united (Watts, 2016). President Maduro inherited some of the economic challenges that were created by the immediate administration before him (Maya, 2014). At the time, the country was deep in inflation; something that some people say could have escalated even if Hugo Chávez’s presidency continued. Some of the challenges inherited including housing, debt, hunger, unemployment and healthcare issues have been the cause of criticism and protests against the current regime. The relationship between Maduro’s presidency and other actors including the local citizens, the opposition, and international community has been diminishing. The administration has on several accounts accused the international community, particularly the U.S, of meddling in internal affairs by supporting the opposition. The international community maintains that change is crucial in the current administration if democracy is to prevail. The ruling administration, however, has the support of the military-the National Armed Force of