Venezuela

As I close my eyes and drift away to a land where there is love, health, peace, and blessings. I wanted to take the time to think and reflect.

    The truth is that there has been historic and present day violence in Venezuela. There are probably many reasons than that I know of, but we could say that the handing over of the leadership to Maduro, was also another larger playing factor. Where there was, and still is oppositions. But he was the favoured successor of Hugo Chávez. A leader in his time that brought an economic boom to the economy, and was liked by the public he served, due to his charismatic style of leadership. Today we see a country who is rich in natural resources, similar also to its neighbouring countries in Latin / South America. But face turmoil and tribulations, as there is no peace. Violence and daily struggles leading to the creation of more poverty, death and destruction. I thought as I have in my earlier writings, about nations which are thought of as "third world" or "developing" nations. Naturally they are rich and resourceful. It is the socio-political tensions that turn the focus away from the creation of developing economic resources to that of trying to solve political crisis. But I don't think that Venezuela can be blamed or pin pointed per se. Especially as the nation sought to be helped, was once turned away from America, to rely on Russia and China. However, Venezuela has also learned that cutting its dependance on the USA was not a good strategy (Romero & Mijares 2016). 

     Whilst these relations may have been beneficial at the time, we are only left to wonder, who benefited   from these relations. At the present day we hear / see the current USA administration who is deeply concerned for the crisis in Venezuela. I think that any concern from the USA should be welcomed from Venezuela. The erosions and tensions make us wonder - where is Russia and China, when a trading partner is in need? The fact that they are no where to be found, only makes us further assume that Venezuela was used and taken advantage of.  But the unfortunate part is that the individuals who support the Maduro regime, are probably not aware of this. Which causes the violence to erupt - which is where we see images, and read news media stories of violent eruptions. The case of Venezuela is more than regime or eruptions, it's about a change of leadership, a change of allies, and the creation of relations that are reciprocal. 

​At the level of the micro-cosm as humans we experience a period of disruption, before there is acceptance. The same can be said for the macro-level. Where groups, societies, or nations will disrupt for a cause. For the sake of protecting a nation, or to achieve peace. We can think through this, though a historical lens; such as war. Historically: we have seen what war can accomplish, but what war can also cause. Death. Destruction. To the very lives we cherish, and the environment that we desire to preserve. The unfortunate truth is that internal conflicts are often overlooked, ignored, worsen, before they receive international attention. But we can only once again wonder, why Latin / South America, whose resources, oil rich resources, are embattled in internal crisis. Simply so developed nations, who are the main producers of oil, don't get hit / hurt by what Venezuela has to offer? Or so that other developing countries don't lag behind, as Venezuela possesses the worlds largest proven oil reserve.

     It is with these thoughts I send thoughts of love and support to all who have been affected with the deadly violence, the innocent, who are often unaware of the socio-political, economic factors, and are just trying to survive. 

Related Reading:

The New York Times - Venezuela’s Collapse Is the Worst Outside of War in Decades, Economists Say

World Atlas - The World’s Largest Oil Reserves By Country

CNN - Who gets Venezuela's oil?

Reference 
Romero, Carlos A., & Mijares, Víctor M.. (2016). From Chávez to Maduro: Continuity and Change in Venezuelan Foreign Policy. Contexto Internacional, 38(1), 165-201.

My thoughts to share with love & kindness! :) 

Notes: These thoughts were originally hand-written on May 18th, 2019.
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