Venezuela Elections 2015: Why Venezuelans Are Fleeing the Country
5th December 2015
Well, socialism will do that to you.
Thousands of Venezuelans have been pouring out of their home country in recent months as it’s spiraled into ever-deeper crisis levels under the socialist administration of President Nicolás Maduro. Venezuela, home to the largest oil reserves in the world, became one of the world’s worst performing economies this year, with triple-digit inflation, severe shortages of basic household goods and soaring rates of violent crime propelling those who can afford it to leave the country. The festering crisis is set to hit a pivotal point Sunday, when Venezuelans vote in long-awaited parliamentary elections that could put the political opposition back into a seat of power for the first time since late President Hugo Chávez took office in 1999.