In Venezuela, heaven has become hell

Venezuela owns the world's biggest oil reserves and is rich in minerals such as gold, iron and diamonds but its population is going hungry from lack of food and medicine. After ascending to power in January, 1999, Hugo Chavez and his regime benefited from an increase in oil prices. With billions of dollars at its disposal, Venezuela gave away oil to countries which, in turn, became its allies within international organizations. In April, 2002, after a failed coup, the regime launched the persecution of journalists and the opposition. At the same time, it established very restrictive money exchange controls, expropriated farm lands as well as food-producing companies, and withdrew mining and oil concessions. More…