Venezuela Political Crisis

General Assembly

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1. History and Description of the Issue

 

The Venezuelan political crisis developed ever since Maduro got elected. The country’s inflation went from 19% to  946%. Causing the GDP of the country to decrease by 35%. The Consumer Price index increased because of inflation, this means that medicines and food become unattainable to most Venezuelans. Not only that but also the murder rate increased from 74 murders per 100,000 people, to 91. Making Caracas one of the most dangerous cities in the world.

How did this happen? Maduro consolidated its power, the opposition was in the hold of the national assembly, with two-thirds of the assembly controlled. With this Maduro ruled out some supreme court justices, so that way he would be able to control the Supreme Court. The court ruled to strip the opposition in the national assembly. The rule was reversed days later when Maduro had a vote for the National Constituent Assembly, a new body of power that would have the power of rewriting the Venezuelan constitution and replace the National Assembly.

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What is the Rise of the opposition? Well, after the elections in 2018 many countries around the world didn’t recognize Maduro as the president, since the elections were very suspicious of fraud. The same day of the elections, the leader of the legislature, Juan Guiaidó proclaimed himself as president and would take charge of the executive branch. Articles 222 and 223 allowed Juan Guido to be the legitimate president of Venezuela.

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To put this into context Maduro’s Predecessor, Hugo Chavez president of Venezuela from 1999 to 2013. Blamed corruption and Venezuela’s elite for the massive economic inequality in the country. His message was populist, siding with the poor people, and In 2004 the oil prices surged and the economy was at its best. Chavez spent millions of dollars from the profit on social welfare programs for the poor, like; Subsidize food, Improve education, one of the best healthcare systems in the world and poverty reduced more than 50%.

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He used his economic success to keep being re-elected and didn’t stop spending on oil, that created a deficit in the end. But little did he know that if the oil prices fell, the economy would collapse. After the president's death, oil prices fell in 2015, Maduro wasn’t successful adjusting it. This is when Hyperinflation happened, making medicines and food unaffordable. Making the currency worthless. Now the army has had the control of the food since 2016 and is profiting by the crisis because its re-selling on the market at higher prices.