This is a good article about the crisis esp about the currency mismanagement, the lack of diversification of the economy which goes back before Chavez, etc. They never mixed up their economy, never went towards any type of agricultural production and that's BEFORE land redistribution.
Does Venezuela’s Crisis Prove Socialism Doesn’t Work?
The opposition is backed by the US. A lot of the economic sabotage is by the pro-american counter-revolutionary private sector opposition. The private sector, not the state (and still less the social economy), controls the overwhelming majority of economic activity (70%). There's also historically been and even in recent times hoarding of food and basic goods (e.g. toilet paper, toothpaste, flour, etc.) by private producers opposed to the government, to deliberately manufacture scarcities and generate popular opposition. Then you have the gross incompetence of the government headed by a man who knows nothing about managing an economy or currency. Plus, the corruption. The currency crisis goes to terrible management not on what type of ideology government is there.
The standard regime change method of operation in the US toolkit hasn't changed for decades. They are sanctions both official and unofficial, as well as economic sabotage and manipulation. A large propaganda and misinformation campaign is also to run at the same time.When economic conditions are bad enough, you then use your local agents to first bring people to the streets in demonstrations and riots and then you have snipers fire on them as well as the police to stir shyt up.
This is when your agents in the security services and government launch a coup and take over and "Restore Democracy".
The reason why Venezuala hasn't folded yet is that the US's local agents, the upper class comparador elite are just too weak. They have run the country for over 150 years, were subservient to London banking interests and then fully under US control after the 1890's. Without capable local agents you will need to invade with an army, and the reason why Venezuela is in shyt right now is because the Maduro government is playing by the rules. Maduro actually thinks elections and democracy fronts will work and he is a guy who hates conflict and killing. He is also naive and ignorant of how an economy works or finance and international trade.
If you are familiar with Game of Thrones or the books, Maduro is just like Tytos Lannister, Tywin Lanninster's father that was too nice and incompetent. Before Chavez died he created militias manned by revolutionaries and the army is full of revolutionaries at this point. So much so that pro-US officers are scared shytless because if they are forced to try a coup by the CIA, the counter coup will be viscous. If the US succeeds in a non-military political coup and remove Maduro, the rest of his government are full of blood thirsty Tywin Lannisters and there will be a blood bath.The disparity of forces is so great, all pro-US factions will be wiped out in less than a week, thus it is way too soon for the US to intervene.
Again, Maduro is too nice, he even sidelined his party's extremists, and trying to peacefully and diplomatically solve all the issues. Most other leaders in his position that have grabbed some power would have done a huge ass purge and murdered tens of thousands at this point.
The problem is when the US is gunning for you you have 2 choices.
1. Submit and beg for forgiveness and promise to be totally subservient in future.
2. Go all the way apeshyt and exterminate all internal opposition with brute force.
Russia and China can afford long term chess moves in geo-politics that slowly chip away at US power and defend their interests, because they have nuclear weapons.... also the orange idiot in the WH helps them.
Everyone else has the above 2 choices unless they border Russia and China and are within their orbit like a Syria and Iran.
