One of the richest countries in the world is flat broke. Despite having the largest oil reserves in the world, the country of Venezuela is full of empty grocery stores and overcrowded hospitals. Yet, the story that’s breaking headlines is the animals being starved to death in Venezuelan zoos.
So what caused the richest oil country to go broke? 95% of the country’s exports come from oil, producing half a million oil barrels a day. Unfortunately, the price of oil has dropped to record lows. Countries that used to depend on foreign oil have now built their own domestic companies, leaving countries like Venezuela with an overflow of oil barrels and no one to buy them. Venezuela even cut the price of their oil barrels by 50%, but that hasn’t helped pick up business. To make up for the money lost, the Venezuelan government decided to print more money, causing the value of their bolivar currency to decrease.
“We Want Food!”
As a result of the decrease in their currency and the lack of income from exporting oil, the country had to cut back on purchasing imported goods, such as food, household items, clothing, and medicine bought from other countries. Because of this, grocery stores are practically empty. The lack of food caused uproars amongst Venezuelan citizens, who rioted outside of supermarkets, chanting “We Want Food!” When they’re not rioting, they’re spending days standing in lines outside of empty grocery stores, hoping to find food.
BYOM: Bring Your Own Medicine:
Venezuela’s cuts on buying imports also means a cut in medicine and medical supplies from Cuba. Venezuelan hospitals are overcrowded, turning waiting lobbies into wards for patients without beds. Due to the lack of medical supplies, hospitals resorted to telling patients they have to bring their own bandages, gauges, and other basic medical supplies in order to receive medical attention.
Infant mortality in the country has spiked, says reports, with one hospital in Barcelona, Venezuela seeing 17 deaths of newborns in one week from its neo-natal unit. The infants died due to a bacteria outbreak from an infestation of pests at the hospital. The hospital could not afford antibiotics needed to cure the infected infants. Other patients who underwent emergency surgery later died after being discharged from the hospital due to the lack of antibiotics needed for post-op recovery.
In Merida, Venezuela, doctors have formed a hunger strike, refusing patients until the nation’s President Nicolas Maduro declare a national health crisis and allow foreign humanitarian aid, says reports.