The French far left burns the U.S. flag in protest of the arrest of Venezuela’s socialist dictator, while Venezuelans celebrate freedom. Screenshot from Twitter.
In France, the far left is burning the American flag, while in New York socialists and communists are demanding the release of Nicolás Maduro. Meanwhile, Venezuelans around the world are celebrating the end of life under socialism. Zohran Mamdani is promising to govern New York under socialism, a system which can only fail to improve the lives of the average person. Venezuela is a perfect example.
Venezuela was once one of the richest countries in Latin America. After more than two decades of socialism, 82 percent of Venezuelans live in poverty, including 53 percent in extreme poverty. More than 94 percent of the population lacks sufficient income to purchase basic goods and services. As of May 2024, the minimum monthly wage is $3.56, and the average monthly salary is about $100, while the basic monthly food basket costs roughly $500. The Gini inequality coefficient has reached 0.603, making Venezuela one of the most unequal societies in the world.
Eighty-two percent of Venezuelans suffer from food insecurity, and 17 percent of children under five were malnourished as of 2018. Because of misguided socialist policies, including collectivization and nationalization, along with the inability to purchase necessary chemicals and fertilizers on the global market, food production fell by 60 percent between 2014 and 2018. While the country cannot produce enough food domestically, most people also lack the income to purchase imported food. As a result, 84 percent of basic food basket items are unavailable in supermarkets.
The healthcare system has collapsed, with both maternal and infant mortality increasing by more than 30 percent since 2015. The maternal mortality rate stands at 98.87 deaths per 100,000 live births, far above the UN target of fewer than 70. Previously eradicated or controlled diseases have returned. Malaria cases rose from only 106 in 2008 to 1.3 million confirmed cases by 2018. Diphtheria, measles, tuberculosis, yellow fever, and dengue have returned. Seventy-nine percent of hospitals lack running water, and 14 percent of intensive care units have shut down. Most laboratory services and hospital nutrition programs operate only intermittently or are completely inoperative.
Because of extremely low pay and the high cost of living, roughly half of the country’s doctors have fled Venezuela. An estimated 70 percent of medical and nursing staff have abandoned their positions in search of better-paying work so their families can survive.
Rolling blackouts and intermittent water supply affect daily life. Forty percent of school-aged children experience irregular attendance due to teacher strikes, staff shortages, lack of food, and failures in electricity, water, and transport services.
Along with economic ruin, socialism imposed repressive social controls. Venezuela ranked 156th out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders’ 2024 World Press Freedom Index. The government blocked websites, social media platforms, and foreign news outlets, and shut down at least 115 media organizations across print, radio, and television. So-called anti-hate laws, carrying prison sentences of up to 20 years, have been used to silence journalists and activists. Additional anti-fascism, anti-terrorism, cybercrime, and NGO surveillance laws created a rapid and comprehensive legal machinery for repression.
The government built a sweeping surveillance apparatus that collects data on large segments of the population. State-directed disinformation campaigns use paid troll accounts and fake websites to smear journalists and activists. Venezuelans have been detained simply for filming events on the street or for comments made in WhatsApp groups, creating widespread fear of discussing political or social issues online.
As of September 2024, Venezuela held 1,793 political prisoners, the highest number recorded in the 21st century. Following the July 2024 election, approximately 1,400 people were detained for protesting or expressing dissent, bringing the post-election total to 1,659 detainees, including children. Most were charged with terrorism and remain imprisoned without sentencing.
President Maduro called Roman Catholic bishops “devils in cassocks” in 2021. Diosdado Cabello declared the Catholic Church is a “political party.” Arbitrary arrests of religious leaders by the Bolivarian National Guard have been documented. Raids on places of worship and assaults on Catholic priests by intolerant citizens have occurred. The government canceled passports of religious leaders.
The government created the “Good Pastor Bonus” program offering financial incentives to pro-Maduro pastors, 495 bolivars monthly, equivalent to $14. The “My Well-Equipped Church” program provides equipment and funds only to select Protestant pastors aligned with the regime. The government withdrew financial support from Catholic educational institutions in retaliation for Church criticism.
Aid to the Church in Need classified Venezuela as a country in “aggravated discrimination” in religious matters in 2023. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom identified Venezuela as part of an “authoritarian triad” of religious persecution alongside Cuba and Nicaragua.
When Venezuelans protested the regime, they were met with lethal force. Across multiple waves of demonstrations since 2014, security forces and pro-government armed gangs repeatedly fired on protesters, killing hundreds and arresting thousands. Independent investigations documented arbitrary detentions, torture, and abuse, while those responsible were almost never prosecuted.
Pro-government colectivos operated with impunity, acting as armed enforcers of the state. Elections widely condemned as fraudulent triggered further crackdowns, including killings that human rights groups described as possible extrajudicial executions. A decade later, international bodies concluded that repression, violence, and total impunity had become systemic tools of governance in Venezuela.
Far from the workers’ paradise that was promised, Venezuela became a nightmare the population is eager to leave behind. There is trepidation and fear about what comes next. However, with Maduro removed, hope has emerged among the roughly eight million Venezuelans who have fled the country since 2014 that they may be able to return and help rebuild their nation.
The post Hunger, Suffering, and Repression: What Life Was Like Under Venezuelan Socialism appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.