‘Power Pass Power’

Why is everyone sorry for Nicolas Maduro and his wife and worried about Donald Trump’s increase power beyond the shores of the United States of America? Is it because Maduro was caught in his pajamas and his wife in her negligee? It looks to me like the world is shocked that one President invaded another President’s bedroom and then hauled the weaker President and his wife into a military chopper. Three days after, I am still wondering if Uncle Donald allowed Mrs Maduro to wear her panties or grab her bra. Some of us sleep better in our birthday suit, you know. I am still imagining Maduro in plain pajamas, his dangling modifier shrunk in fear, and his Mrs trying to support her ‘twins’ from distracting the invading soldiers. Humiliating, sad.

Now, seriously, I painted that picture to paint a picture of ‘power pass power. There are Presidents and there are stronger Presidents. All kings are royal fathers but some are more royal than the others. There are leaders and there are leaders of leaders. Am I attempting to justify what Donald Trump has done? No. He breached some world agreements. I am still confused as to whether Venezuela is now the 51st state of America now that Trump will directly supervise activities of this country.

When an unfortunate member of a family leaves the family house door at night, everybody will feel the impact of his foolishness. The leaders of Venezuela left too many doors ajar and everything crawling, creeping had set up shop in the Latin country long before the arrival-in-the-night of President Trump.

While America built its muscles in every way, Maduro, between 2013 and 2025 {12 whole years of what?), forgot himself and the blessing under his soil. Hugo Chavez before him did not do any better. Indeed, Venezuela’s history has been one long struggle, crisis, conflict and more conflict.

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Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil deposits, with over 300 billion barrels, followed by Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Canada.

But it is a poor country in many regards. There is widespread hunger and unemployment. More than 80 per cent of the people are living in extreme poverty. Basic public services have collapsed. The hospitals lack drugs and manpower. Water and electricity are not available

Despite the country’s vast oil wealth, over 7 million Venezuelans have fled the country, seeking better living conditions, while those they left behind struggle with blackouts, food crisis, humanitarian problems and blackouts.

Does anyone need to visit the troubled nation to know that a small fraction of the population will be living in extreme wealth amidst all the hunger and pain in sorrow? No. A country that should be a reference point for what a largest oil deposit in the world could be next to Paradise made a mess of its blessings. A look through its history between 1913 and today showed a country that had long forgotten how to grow.  I read and shook my head at the political upheavals that dotted its entire national life.

How could its economy not collapse? The struggle for who becomes what was the perfect soil to grow all kinds of mismanagement, hyperinflation, and falling oil prices, despite large oil reserves.

Venezuela played politics like its life depended on and ignored exactly what its life depended on, its resources. Now, it’s game over. That country will never remain the same. Let the professors quote international laws and treaties and best practices as they should. When a Trump comes to the world, even the winter is different. Ask Maduro and his wife.

May this be a learning curve for the developing world. Any nation that leaves undone what it should do will eventually come undone.