Bringing Venezuela's Economic Crisis Into Focus

The images below were taken in February 2012 and June 2015, respectively. The first image came as Venezuelan imports, financed in part by high oil prices, were almost as high as they ever were in recent years. In February 2012, Puerto Cabello was bustling with activity. Container yards were stacked high, a result of the government's oil-fueled spending spree ahead of the November presidential election. But in 2013, the pace of Venezuela's imports began to slow. When global oil prices plunged in the latter part of 2014, Venezuelan imports dropped precipitously, a trend that has continued to this day. The second image, taken only a few months ago, shows a much different picture: Container yards are far emptier because the government simply has much less money to import goods. More…