As Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro begins another six-year term in office, Dr Tom Long from the Department of Politics and International Studies has commented on the political and economic situation in Venezuela today. 

He said: “As President Nicolás Maduro starts a new, six-year term, Venezuela has little to celebrate. The region is enduring record economic declines and skyrocketing inflation, creating conditions of desperation and scarcity that have pushed some three million to flee the country. Despite that, the regime continues to maintain a hold on power through control over the military and the oil sector, even if the productive capacity of the latter is much diminished. Meanwhile, Maduro and his allies face international sanctions and isolation from many of their neighbours. Despite the depth of the crisis, the domestic opposition to Maduro remains fragmented, having been beaten back by a mix of institutional wrangling and outright coercion. After inauguration day, Maduro and his opponents will return to their respective trenches, while the mass of Venezuela continues to suffer.”

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