Venezuela is the country with the largest oil deposits, yet 3 in every 4 Venezuelan lives in extreme poverty. More than 7 million people are recorded as having left the country since 2015 in search of a better life, causing the largest ever displacement of people in Latin American history. And it’s only surpassed in numbers by those people leaving Ukraine.

But Venezuela is not at war, its current humanitarian crisis is the result of years of political and economic turbulence. International sanctions, imposed on the country with the aim of pressing the government to change its policies and restore democracy have had little impact, other than making it more difficult for Venezuela’s economy to function.

Presidential elections are due to be held in the country next year, but talks between the government and the opposition to ensure that they are free and fair are currently at a standstill.

This week on The Inquiry we’re asking ‘Is Venezuela a failed state?’

Contributors:
Maria Gabriela Trompetero, Migration Researcher, Bielefeld University, Germany
Alejandro Velasco, Associate Professor of History, New York University, author of ‘Barrio Rising: Urban Popular Politics and the Making of Modern Venezuela’
Dr. Luisa Palacios, Senior Research Scholar, Centre on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University
Mariano de Alba, Senior Adviser, International Crisis Group.

Presenter: Tanya Beckett
Producer: Jill Collins
Researcher: Matt Toulson
Editor: Tara McDermott
Technical Producer: Kelly Young
Production Co-ordinator: Brenda Brown

(Oil spills over a hand and river in Venezuela. Credit: John Harper/Getty Images)