US Offers to Rebuild Venezuela After Decades of Sanctions-Induced Decay
The US, according to Bloomberg, is considering agencies like the International Development Finance Corp. to fund a massive infrastructure overhaul in Venezuela. This comes after years of crippling US sanctions, including against its oil industry, which have contributed to an estimated 99% of the population living in poverty and widespread infrastructure collapse (CEPR, 2019; UN, 2021). One might
wonder if this 'generosity' is less about genuine aid and more about positioning US corporations to profit from problems they helped create. It's the geopolitical equivalent of punching someone in the face, waiting for them to bleed out, then offering them a band-aid – for a competitive consulting fee. The 'rebuilding' effort, no doubt, will prioritize access to Venezuela’s vast natural resources
(oil, gold) rather than truly empowering its people. How many times must a nation be destabilized before the 'aid' arrives with strings attached?