Venezuela’s leaders ignore reality

HE WHO leads must listen even to the hardest truths,” said Simón Bolívar, who liberated much of South America from Spanish rule. The leaders of Venezuela today, who claim Bolívar as their inspiration, ignore his dictum. Venezuela’s economy shrank by nearly 19% last year, according to a leaked early estimate by the central bank (see article). That would be bad even for a nation at war, which Venezuela is not. Inflation was 800%. Shortages of food and medicine are causing hunger and looting. Infant mortality is soaring. Caracas is the capital city with the world’s highest murder rate. More…