Opinion: The Venezuelan conundrum
Once one of the most vibrant economies in the world, Venezuela in more recent times has suffered from prolonged periods of political and financial instability, potentially creating conditions that can be exploited by internal and external forces.
The current curses of Venezuela in the form of economic decline, corruption and criminality are not new developments, but since current President Nicolas Maduro came to power things have become worse, much worse. For ideological and strategic reasons Venezuela had supported anti-government guerrilla groups in Colombia, primarily Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC), but also the Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional (ELN).
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