Conspiracy theories won’t save the governing party in Venezuela

Venezuela approaches elections for its National Assembly on December 6 in a state of political uncertainty. With oil prices cratering, the country is in an economic free-fall that combines economic contraction, inflation approaching 200 percent, and the world’s top ranking on the misery index. All this points to significant losses for the incumbent Partido Socialista Universal de Venezuela (PSUV). In an effort to stem the tide, the PSUV’s leader, President Nicolas Maduro, and his party have been emphasizing conspiracy theories in their campaign rhetoric. Venezuelans are open to conspiracies, but new research suggests they are not buying the ones the government is selling. More…