country is rapidly headed for total collapse.

It has been marked as the most miserable economy in the world, and protests against the President,

Nicolas Maduro, have become a common fixture.

So, why does Venezuela hate its president?

Well, originally, Maduro worked as a bus driver before entering the world of politics as a

supporter of Hugo Chavez, Venezuela’s charismatic and controversial former president.

After rising in the ranks over the course of more than two decades, Maduro was named

as Chavez’s Vice President in 2012.

The following year, Chavez died battling cancer, making Maduro the new president.

Immediately, he mobilized the entire military and police force around the country to quote

“guarantee the peace”.

One month later, Maduro won the snap presidential election by a narrow margin.

From then on, Maduro’s actions as president have received extraordinary criticism.

With roughly 95% of the country’s export earnings coming from oil, the drop in oil

prices around 2014 caused Venezuela to struggle to provide its citizens with enough energy,

goods, and protection.

Rampant inflation, strict rationing, rolling blackouts, and violent rioting has destroyed

the country from within.

However, Maduro has refused help from other countries, and instead blamed the United States

for attempting to orchestrate a power grab.

Most unsettlingly, the President has repeatedly instituted “rule by decree”, which effectively

allows him to create new laws without any checks or balances, akin to a dictator or

king.

He has also expanded the role of the military, and in 2016 appointed the defense minister

in charge of economic oversight, including pharmacies, food, commercial distribution,

and management of the country’s ports.

This move has been likened to the power structure of Fidel Castro’s Cuba, and military dictatorships

overall.

As a result of these issues, protests have arisen around the country, which Venezuelan

police and soldiers have responded to by using live ammunition and torture, sparking significant

concerns from human rights organizations.

And despite the increased military presence, crime is still rampant country-wide.

Venezuela’s capital, Caracas [Kuh-RAH-Cus], is considered one of the most dangerous cities

in the world, and the country itself saw roughly 18,000 murders in 2015.

But part of the problem is that police are generally unaccountable, and some statistics

show that they themselves commit one in five crimes.

As of 2016, Venezuelans have attempted to hold a referendum to remove Maduro from office.

But despite collecting enough signatures to hold the vote, the country’s National Electoral

Council, which is in charge of organizing elections, has postponed the vote multiple

times.

They allege either voter fraud or conspiracy against the President, and in October 2016

the council ultimately suspended the referendum outright.

Many of the concerns surrounding Maduro echo those of his predecessor, Chavez.

Chavez was criticized for being overtly wasteful with state resources during its long-oil boom,

and Maduro has continued many of his policies at a time when oil prices have collapsed.

While the country struggles without sufficient food, water, or power, world leaders are calling

for the referendum to occur, and for Maduro to end his dictatorial reign.

A poll from late 2016 found that 84% of Venezuelans want the President removed from office.

The suspension of the referendum has been called unconstitutional, but with the President

unilaterally controlling the government, and elections as well, it may be a while before

Venezuela sees a new president.

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As Venezuelans fight to remove Maduro from office, the country’s economic crisis continues

to impact the lives of its people.

So how exactly has this failing economy shaped life in Venezuela?

Find out in this video.

Basic goods like food, water and medicine have become increasingly difficult to find.

This is in part due to the government's strict rationing system, which is designed to prevent

patrons from stockpiling goods before inflation drives the prices up.

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