Venezuela has been a communist country for about 19 years. Grocery stores are empty and people are dying. Venezuela had the potential to be one of the richest countries in the world due to its abundance of oil. But like other South American countries, corruption in the government is basically inevitable. People were so used to not being able to rely on a stable government that when outsider Hugo Chavez rose into politics, people voted for him because they saw him as the most trustworthy. Chavez sold the idea of everyone being paid equal and said that poverty wouldn’t be a problem because that’s what every communist says. Unfortunately, poverty will always be present.
Nicolás Maduro took over as the interim president after Chavez died in 2013. Maduro gained so much power in such little time that he could be considered a dictator. Venezuela has since become a disaster, and people are anxious to leave the country due to the lack of work. Enough has become enough and no one will be able to stop them. Over 50 countries, including Venezuela, don’t consider Maduro to be the president. President Trump announced that the U.S. considers the opposition leader, Juan Guadió, the interim president until elections can take place. Maduro has done everything to prevent the riots from taking place, such as blocking the border so people can’t cross over to Colombia. He was mistaken because that move caused a massive riot of people to throw rocks at the national guard and burn outposts.
The U.S. and other countries have sent humanitarian aid for Venezuela. Maduro has not let them in and in all likelihood will continue to prevent their entry. Guadió has said that in doing so, it “betrays our people.” If the opposition gets their way and lets the aid enter the country, it could signal that Maduro is losing power slowly. This aid would help Venezuela tremendously. During these few months, inflation has risen, there is hunger and there is no medicine—even in hospitals.
Millions of Venezuelans have fled the country on foot to try and survive. Civilians tried to keep a part of the border between them and Brazil open so aid could enter. This caused Venezuelan soldiers to open fire, leading to the death and injury of innocent people. Maduro has enabled violence to keep people from getting help—help they are in desperate need of. That is a violation of human rights and is a horrible way to treat the people of your country that you claim to love.
Juan Guadió has since arrived in a city close to the border between Venezuela and Colombia. His plan is to help make an entry for the aid to pass by into Venezuela. Unfortunately, Guadió has risked a lot. Venezuela’s Supreme Court passed a travel ban and Guadió dared to defy it. If Guadió tries to return to Venezuela, he would be arrested right on the spot, unless Maduro lets him come in freely. Though Juan Guadió is the interim president, Maduro still controls everything going on in Venezuela. But there is hope in Venezuela and that’s what will make a change. No one ever gives up on hope.