The sociopolitical situation in Venezuela has become dire. People are dying every day from a myriad of problems, and Maduro's government is a big part of what is wrong. Citizens' purchases in Venezuela are controlled via an ID card system, and there is little hope for better conditions going forward.
I recently sat down with a Venezuelan man who wishes to remain anonymous due to his wife's position within the Venezuelan military, but he was able to offer a vivid portrait of the tragedy that is unfolding in his homeland.
No hope
There has been a constant lack of food and medicine in Venezuela, and as a result of this many people have died.
According to the sources, the amount of food that is offered to people is not enough for them to live and malnutrition runs rampant.
While people in free societies can protest their government, in Venezuela Maduro's administration requires that the citizens support him in public gatherings, or, otherwise, face starvation. What is true for a Venezuelan's daily necessities is doubly true for health care services.
In most cases, doctors aren't able to give care due to lack of materials. There are rumors of ships offshore with badly needed goods, but for whatever reason, they aren't able to be distributed to the populous.
Difficult choices
Because of intolerable conditions, many Venezuelans are choosing to participate in increasingly violent confrontations with the police and military.
Maduro has started to take political prisoners. The case of Leopoldo López is an example of this systematic repression. Venezuela's population is suffering at the hands of a violent dictator.
Mr. López is currently serving a 14-year sentence in a military prison and has repeatedly called on the military in Venezuela to rebel.
As of yet, there hasn't been any widespread revolt among the military, though, given the worsening conditions, it may just be a matter of time.
When I asked my connection about what could improve the conditions in Venezuela, he looked despondent, and after a few moments, he replied that a foreign military could help, but it would be a violent solution to an awful situation.
Maduro seems to have lost control of the nation, and his ongoing attempts to reinforce his twisted vision of power serves only to demonstrate the weakness of his position. My heart aches for the people in Venezuela who are suffering at the hands of a maniac, and I hope for their sake positive change comes soon.
