COVID Crackdown in Venezuela: The Leadership of Maduro
The term “political extremism” has frequently been used to describe the ongoing regime of Nicolás Maduro, the 46th president of Venezuela. Since Maduro came into power on the 14th of April, 2013, there has been much discourse over his policies and strategies intended to rule the nation efficiently. After the spread of COVID-19, this debate has grown more aggressive. The raging pandemic has affected more than 24 million individuals and has resulted in over 841 thousand deaths worldwide. Venezuela is one of the countries which have suffered losses with more than 42,898 cases as of 29th of August 2020.
Over the past four years, Venezuela’s economy has witnessed the world’s highest inflation and recession (for these years); many Venezuelans have gone from earning a middle class living to barely making ends meet. Experts often argue that the reason the government, specifically Maduro, has not taken many actions to deal with these core issues. Instead, the government directs its effort towards helping the president stay in power. Maduro’s nonchalant attitude has only added fuel to the fire. Activists, experts and individuals all around the world have harshly criticized the Venezuelan government’s approach towards dealing with the spread of the pandemic.
Strict quarantine measures have been implemented within the country since March 17th, with the common use of armed forces making sure all regulations were followed. Maduro’s Socialist party issued a “Special Mobility Control Program” which allowed one member of each household to be able to leave the house up until midday. Citizens reported that officials sent people without a permit home. To ensure the execution of this plan, authorities organized approximately 40 checkpoints. The whole operation was overlooked by Venezuelan National Police’s Special Action Force (FAES), which has been accused of target killings, abuse and brutality against the residents.
In the past few years, more than 4.7 million Venezuelans have fled their country to find refuge in neighboring countries. Most of them left to escape the crippling economy and the brutal persecution from the government. However, with entire economies and industries collapsing, the Coronavirus has left many in absolute destitution, leading to a reverse migration where immigrants travel back to their own countries. This situation has also been the case with the Venezuelan nationals who have lost their jobs in various countries of Latin America.
With nowhere else to turn, about 95,000 nationals are forced to return to Venezuela. However, the government believes they are a liability, increasing the pressure in the already overworked state. Now labelled as “bio-terrorists,” these nationals reside in makeshift detention camps. According to the New York Times, many individuals are forced into crowded spaces such as isolated bus stations, hotels and abandoned schools. Each week, 1,200 individuals cross the borders and make their way to the makeshift camps. The individuals are kept here to be tested, and this detention can range anywhere from weeks to months until the officials deem them healthy. To ensure that these rules were being implemented, police are patrolling areas in major cities like Maracaibo in search of nationals who have entered the country without approval.
Officials have taken to various social networking sites such as Twitter to spread the word about the importance of reporting the "troncheros," Venezuelan nationals making their way across borders using unmarked trails. If these individuals are caught, they are treated using medicines for coronavirus treatment - ones which are endorsed by world leaders such as those of Brazil and U.S President Donald Trump. However, these medicines, which include hydroxychloroquine, are not recommended by the World Health Organization.
Although these measures have been somewhat successful in preventing the spread of the pandemic as there is barely minimum social interaction, humanitarians, activists and experts around the world are enraged by the conditions of the Venezuelan citizens and are demanding justice. Many ask for the Socialist party to come clean about all the statistics and to give the freedom of speech, expression and action to its people.
Over the past four years, Venezuela’s economy has witnessed the world’s highest inflation and recession (for these years); many Venezuelans have gone from earning a middle class living to barely making ends meet. Experts often argue that the reason the government, specifically Maduro, has not taken many actions to deal with these core issues. Instead, the government directs its effort towards helping the president stay in power. Maduro’s nonchalant attitude has only added fuel to the fire. Activists, experts and individuals all around the world have harshly criticized the Venezuelan government’s approach towards dealing with the spread of the pandemic.
Strict quarantine measures have been implemented within the country since March 17th, with the common use of armed forces making sure all regulations were followed. Maduro’s Socialist party issued a “Special Mobility Control Program” which allowed one member of each household to be able to leave the house up until midday. Citizens reported that officials sent people without a permit home. To ensure the execution of this plan, authorities organized approximately 40 checkpoints. The whole operation was overlooked by Venezuelan National Police’s Special Action Force (FAES), which has been accused of target killings, abuse and brutality against the residents.
In the past few years, more than 4.7 million Venezuelans have fled their country to find refuge in neighboring countries. Most of them left to escape the crippling economy and the brutal persecution from the government. However, with entire economies and industries collapsing, the Coronavirus has left many in absolute destitution, leading to a reverse migration where immigrants travel back to their own countries. This situation has also been the case with the Venezuelan nationals who have lost their jobs in various countries of Latin America.
With nowhere else to turn, about 95,000 nationals are forced to return to Venezuela. However, the government believes they are a liability, increasing the pressure in the already overworked state. Now labelled as “bio-terrorists,” these nationals reside in makeshift detention camps. According to the New York Times, many individuals are forced into crowded spaces such as isolated bus stations, hotels and abandoned schools. Each week, 1,200 individuals cross the borders and make their way to the makeshift camps. The individuals are kept here to be tested, and this detention can range anywhere from weeks to months until the officials deem them healthy. To ensure that these rules were being implemented, police are patrolling areas in major cities like Maracaibo in search of nationals who have entered the country without approval.
Officials have taken to various social networking sites such as Twitter to spread the word about the importance of reporting the "troncheros," Venezuelan nationals making their way across borders using unmarked trails. If these individuals are caught, they are treated using medicines for coronavirus treatment - ones which are endorsed by world leaders such as those of Brazil and U.S President Donald Trump. However, these medicines, which include hydroxychloroquine, are not recommended by the World Health Organization.
Although these measures have been somewhat successful in preventing the spread of the pandemic as there is barely minimum social interaction, humanitarians, activists and experts around the world are enraged by the conditions of the Venezuelan citizens and are demanding justice. Many ask for the Socialist party to come clean about all the statistics and to give the freedom of speech, expression and action to its people.
The Impact of a Negative Mindset: Against the Leadership of Maduro
In the context of a pandemic, support and awareness directed by the responsible authorities is the starting point to saving as many lives as possible. However, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has employed tactics that downplayed or criminalized having the virus. “This is the only country in the world where having Covid is a crime”, says Sergio Hidalgo, an activist who positions himself against President Nicolás Maduro’s political measures. Hidalgo states that after showing COVID-19 symptoms, police officers and government officials accused him of infecting the community. In San Cristóbal, Maduro supporters have also marked the homes of families with suspected symptoms of COVID cases and threatened them with detention.
According to the Venezuelan government, only 358 deaths due to Coronavirus occurred in the country. Compared to Brazil’s rates, Venezuela’s neighbor, which experienced nearly 120 thousand deaths, the number sounds improbable. This low number is to blame on reduced testing rates, which are caused by the fear of contamination that the Venezuelan people have. Fighting for his survival as president since Juan Guaidó was recognized as the true president of Venezuela by nations like the United States and Brazil after a failed coup d’etat in 2019, Maduro’s actions on trying to minimize panic surrounding COVID-19 reflect his fear of losing control of the nation.
Doctors also confirm the sub-notification, citing the lack and inefficiency of Coronavirus testing kits. Most of the patients are either never tested or die before receiving an official diagnosis, leading to a very low number of deaths due to the virus per day - the highest number was 12. However, this issue is not only to be blamed on the lack of testing and lockdown on the population.
As the pandemic spread and killed more people everyday in neighboring countries, Maduro also created “containment centers.” Containment centers consist of expropriated hotels, schools and bus stations used to keep Venezuelans who have returned from other Latin American countries. The rooms, usually crowded and with limited food, water and masks - or even no beds or windows -, are also controlled by the military. The population is tested after weeks or months in the centers, and also treated with unproven medication like hydroxychloroquine, even if they do not show symptoms. According to the Colombian government, over 95 thousand Venezuelans have already returned to their home country. Yet, there are 42 thousand others waiting to cross the border. Venezuela only allows the entrance of 1,200 people each week. The others have to wait in makeshift camps - or to cross the border illegally. Those who do the latter are labeled threats to the country as so-called “bioterrorists”. This creates a crisis on immigration, considering the Latin American economy is going through a dangerous phase for business owners and the general population. Leaving countries like Venezuela as an attempt to have a better life is a concept that might be in the process of change, considering the economical situation of the neighboring countries.
Maduro’s actions toward COVID-19 in order to keep his political influence is a major threat to the Venezuelans, who do not receive proper treatment, support or testing for the virus. It is noticeable that his political power is more important than the population he is said to lead. Is the will to be lionized stronger than the will to keep Venezuela safe?
According to the Venezuelan government, only 358 deaths due to Coronavirus occurred in the country. Compared to Brazil’s rates, Venezuela’s neighbor, which experienced nearly 120 thousand deaths, the number sounds improbable. This low number is to blame on reduced testing rates, which are caused by the fear of contamination that the Venezuelan people have. Fighting for his survival as president since Juan Guaidó was recognized as the true president of Venezuela by nations like the United States and Brazil after a failed coup d’etat in 2019, Maduro’s actions on trying to minimize panic surrounding COVID-19 reflect his fear of losing control of the nation.
Doctors also confirm the sub-notification, citing the lack and inefficiency of Coronavirus testing kits. Most of the patients are either never tested or die before receiving an official diagnosis, leading to a very low number of deaths due to the virus per day - the highest number was 12. However, this issue is not only to be blamed on the lack of testing and lockdown on the population.
As the pandemic spread and killed more people everyday in neighboring countries, Maduro also created “containment centers.” Containment centers consist of expropriated hotels, schools and bus stations used to keep Venezuelans who have returned from other Latin American countries. The rooms, usually crowded and with limited food, water and masks - or even no beds or windows -, are also controlled by the military. The population is tested after weeks or months in the centers, and also treated with unproven medication like hydroxychloroquine, even if they do not show symptoms. According to the Colombian government, over 95 thousand Venezuelans have already returned to their home country. Yet, there are 42 thousand others waiting to cross the border. Venezuela only allows the entrance of 1,200 people each week. The others have to wait in makeshift camps - or to cross the border illegally. Those who do the latter are labeled threats to the country as so-called “bioterrorists”. This creates a crisis on immigration, considering the Latin American economy is going through a dangerous phase for business owners and the general population. Leaving countries like Venezuela as an attempt to have a better life is a concept that might be in the process of change, considering the economical situation of the neighboring countries.
Maduro’s actions toward COVID-19 in order to keep his political influence is a major threat to the Venezuelans, who do not receive proper treatment, support or testing for the virus. It is noticeable that his political power is more important than the population he is said to lead. Is the will to be lionized stronger than the will to keep Venezuela safe?