Nicolas Maduro. Is he a dictator like the opposition side of his nation says or is he the rightful elected president like he and his supporters claim?

Maduro became the president of Venezuela after the death of former president Hugo Chavez in 2013. Many Venezuelans considered his presidency invalid due to the belief that the election was unfair and the people’s choice was not considered. Recently, Maduro has renewed his six year term in the Venezuelan 2017 reelection and many claimed that there was vote-rigging in order for him to win. After this, the 2017 Constituent National Assembly, an elected temporary parliament who is responsible for drafting a new constitution, allowed the people to choose its members and more than eight million people voted according to The National Electoral Council. However, most of the seats belong to politicians from the United Socialist Party of Venezuela and the Great Patriotic Pole. Both political parties have Maduro as their leader. The National Assembly of Venezuela is the opposition group, the only form of government that is not under Maduro’s influence.

The president of the National Assembly is Juan Guaido, and he declared himself as the “acting president” of Venezuela. he states that the president of the National Assembly can overthrow the president if they are illegitimate. To do this he needs the support of the people, and recently he has gained the support of President Donald Trump who has tweeted that he considers Guaido to be the legitimate president of Venezuela.

I ask every member of the Maduro regime: End this nightmare of poverty, hunger and death. LET YOUR PEOPLE GO. Set your country free! Now is the time for all Venezuelan Patriots to act together, as one united people. Nothing could be better for the future of Venezuela!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 18, 2019

With political instability and the economic inequality, many people in Venezuela are lacking basic necessities because of the shortages in food and medicine.  Economics teacher Mrs.Van Dusen explains that Venezuela’s economy became a command economy at the hands of Hugo Chavez and the people are the only ones negatively affected. The country’s experiencing hyperinflation with their inflation rate that is higher than 50 percent since 2014. Historically, Venezuela has been a prosperous nation because of its abundant oil reserves, but the reserves became nationalized so the profit is for the government. The nation had become so dependent on their oil that many products were imported from other countries, so when the people had no money obtaining resources became too expensive.

“The people are voting with their feet. They’re fleeing,” said Mrs. Van Dusen. And it is true, three million people have fled Venezuela but those who remain are living through a crisis.

Tom Selchau, a Junior Achievement instructor and finance expert, states that the problem is that the government officials are not oil experts and have made inefficient drilling. “They weren’t using the oil correctly to make more money for the people,” he said, “They think: we can keep them at just above starvation level and the rest goes to me and my friends.”

Colombia and Brazil, Venezuela’s neighbors, are receiving Venezuelans who have left home along with other surrounding nations. Colombia has tried to aid the people in the nation, but Maduro is not accepting any aid. Colombia gathered necessities and planned to give it to Venezuelans but it was burned at the Venezuelan-Colombian border and some Venezuelan soldiers joined the people in trying to save the much needed aid.

The people of Venezuela are standing for FREEDOM and DEMOCRACY – and the United States of America is standing right by their side!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 18, 2019

Senior Jasmine Santana explains that she has recently become aware of Venezuela’s situation by teachers who mention it in class but has not seen it circulating through the media as much as she believes is necessary. When she first heard about the burning of humanitarian aid, she was in disbelief that the aid did not reach Venezuelans and commented, “Maybe it’s his pride but even if [Maduro] didn’t want it his people need it.”

Santana believes that more people, especially teens, should become aware of this crisis because “We’re really privileged in all aspects that they’re struggling in,” and hopes that Venezuela will see positive change soon.

“He’s not really for the people. He’s for being in power at all costs and it’s just destroying the whole country,” said Mrs. Van Dusen.