Narrator: Ms. Smith’s class has just read an article about Venezuela featured in the world news section of a Houston-based newspaper. As they have learned, economic, social and political issues are plaguing the South American country. Let’s listen as 5 students—Felicia, Brandon, Monique, Tammy, Cindy and Kenisha—discuss what surprised them.
Kenisha: That article really surprised me!
Felicia: Really? What surprised you the most?
Kenisha: It surprised me that Venezuela is experiencing so many problems. Inflation is high, wages are low, there are gas, food and medicine shortages—people are even clashing with police and protesting the government daily! I wonder how long the protests will last.
Cindy: Me too, Kenisha. What I found most surprising is that Venezuelans are struggling to feed their families and the food shortages have resulted in citizens fighting over basic food items such as flour and pasta. This surprises me because I could never imagine having to fight over flour!
Felicia: The gas shortages surprised me the most as Venezuela has the world’s largest known oil reserves—more than Saudi Arabia! This makes me think of a news story I saw some time ago about the Venezuelan-run oil company, PDVSA. According to the news story, Venezuela’s is not producing much oil and the United States imposed sanctions in 2019—refusing to export diluents that PDVSA uses to process oil.
Brandon: The increase in violent crime and rising unemployment surprised me the most. According to the article that we read, power outages have left many people in Venezuela in the dark, too. I wonder what is causing the electricity to fail.
Monique: I think what surprised me the most is that many Venezuelans want the president, Nicolas Maduro, to resign. They are blaming him for the country’s economic problems and feel that he is abusing his power.
Tammy: Wait—I remember the article stating that President Maduro has even refused humanitarian aid from other countries in the past. I’m wondering why he would deny help from other nations?
Felicia: I don’t know but it sounds like the citizens of Venezuela are angry.
Brandon: It surely does. I think –
Ms. Smith: If I could please get your attention in 3… 2…and… 1. Thank you class. Now that you have had time to discuss what surprised you, let’s share out..
Narrator: As the students share their ideas and wonderings as a class, there is one question that remains: What would you do?
1 answer
Economic Issues
High Inflation: Venezuela is experiencing severe inflation, which impacts the purchasing power of its citizens, making basic goods increasingly unaffordable.
Wage Decline: Many Venezuelans face low wages that do not keep pace with the soaring cost of living, leading to increased poverty levels.
Food and Medicine Shortages: There are significant shortages of essential items such as food and medicine, forcing citizens to fight over basic necessities.
Social Issues
Struggles to Feed Families: Venezuelans are facing difficulties in providing food for their families due to shortages, resulting in conflicts over basic items like flour and pasta.
Protests and Clashes with Police: Citizens are regularly protesting against the government due to ongoing social issues, which sometimes leads to violent clashes with law enforcement.
Rise in Violent Crime: The country is witnessing an increase in violent crime, exacerbated by economic instability and a lack of security.
Political Issues
Desire for Presidential Resignation: Many Venezuelans are calling for the resignation of President Nicolas Maduro, blaming him for the country’s economic decline and expressing concerns over his governance.
Refusal of Humanitarian Aid: President Maduro's refusal to accept humanitarian aid from other countries raises questions about his leadership and priorities amidst an ongoing crisis.
Government Accountability: Citizens are questioning the accountability of the government in addressing the pressing issues facing the nation, indicating a demand for political reform and better governance.
1 answer