The country’s economy is in freefall, while shortages of food and medicine have triggered a humanitarian crisis. “The left is totally divided,” said Leonardo Valente, a professor of international relations at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Even the Vatican has called for the suspension of the new assembly – although Argentinian-born pope Francis has been criticised for not speaking out against the Venezuelan president. In contrast, the Venezuelan crisis has been highlighted by Mexico’s ruling Institutional Revolutionary party – whose technocratic policies now obscure roots in the populist current of the Mexican revolution. As the Venezuelan crisis worsens, more Latin American leftists – especially those facing elections – may adopt a similar stance.

Source: The Guardian August 10, 2017 09:00 UTC