Venezuela's economy is imploding

[COLGATE4]

13. Not created by Maduro but exacerbated by him

after Chavez began the implosion of the Venezuelan economy. Instead of using the oil revenue bonanza to shore up and improve oil production he politicized the state oil company (known as a model in Latin America), firing or running out qualified people and filling important posts with acolytes. He expropriated large, productive agricultural holdings, transferring them to small farmers who had neither the training nor the means to exploit, reducing even farther Venezuela's lack of capacity to feed itself. Instead of investing in the one source of income - oil production - he let the physical assets deteriorate from lack of investment and maintenance to the point that oil production is actually down significantly. Then Chavez gave away billions of dollars in oil in order to curry favor and political support from other Caribbean and Latin American nations instead of using them for the benefit of the nation (and its people). Maduro is now presiding over the collapse of the Venezuelan economy and hasn't the preparation to have a clue as to what to do, aside from mouthing stupidities about planned assassination attempts, etc. But you're right on one thing - even a right wing dictatorship would be unable to reverse the damage done by these clowns, at least in the short term. Venezuela will continue to suffer the effects of Chavismo for many years to come.