By the time Maduro took over, after Chávez's death, Venezuela was on the verge of a crippling economic crisis.
A plunge in oil prices precipitated the downfall and undercut Maduro's capacity to fund long-standing assistance programs, such as food subsidies.
What makes Venezuela's food crisis all the more grim is that experts agree it is a result of human decision-making.
Susana Raffalli, a Venezuelan specialist in food emergencies, fears that a humanitarian showdown involving the opposition, the international community, and the Maduro regime will ultimately jeopardize ongoing aid efforts.
Within days of recognizing Guaidó as Venezuela's President, the U.S. escalated pressure on Maduro by imposing sanctions on the state-owned oil firm Petróleos de Venezuela.
"The calculus changed," Cutz told me, because "There is a realization that this is a do-or-die moment in the country, so holding any fire back at this point would be a shame." Although it remains to be seen whether these sanctions will have their desired effect or inadvertently hurt those most in need, the Trump Administration has hardly backtracked on its warnings to Maduro.
With help from the military, which has a monopoly on food distribution, Maduro has secured the aid blockade and appears determined to stand in the way of Guaidó's ambitions.
https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/venezuelas-food-crisis-reaches-a-breaking-point
A plunge in oil prices precipitated the downfall and undercut Maduro's capacity to fund long-standing assistance programs, such as food subsidies.
What makes Venezuela's food crisis all the more grim is that experts agree it is a result of human decision-making.
Susana Raffalli, a Venezuelan specialist in food emergencies, fears that a humanitarian showdown involving the opposition, the international community, and the Maduro regime will ultimately jeopardize ongoing aid efforts.
Within days of recognizing Guaidó as Venezuela's President, the U.S. escalated pressure on Maduro by imposing sanctions on the state-owned oil firm Petróleos de Venezuela.
"The calculus changed," Cutz told me, because "There is a realization that this is a do-or-die moment in the country, so holding any fire back at this point would be a shame." Although it remains to be seen whether these sanctions will have their desired effect or inadvertently hurt those most in need, the Trump Administration has hardly backtracked on its warnings to Maduro.
With help from the military, which has a monopoly on food distribution, Maduro has secured the aid blockade and appears determined to stand in the way of Guaidó's ambitions.
https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/venezuelas-food-crisis-reaches-a-breaking-point
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