Venezuela located at the northern end of South America is known for its plenty of landforms and cultural aspects. This article discusses other features of Venezuela including history, geography, culture, economy and issues.
An Overview of the Political Situation in Venezuela
Venezuela’s historical experience can be divided into three phases – the period of Indian cultures, the Spanish rule of the enterprising Venezuelan society and the emergence of the Venezuelan independence movement. People such as Caribs and Arawaks occupied this land which long before the Europeans arrived.
Spanish conquerors came to Venezuela in the sixteen century. The colonization processes brought about reconstruction of the population and culture of the area. Venezuela finally and permanently broke from the colonial rule of Spain in 1821 with the spirit of the national hero Simón Bolívar.
Physical Features of Venezuela and Why they Matter
Venezuela’s geographical and physiography is on the whole more diverse. This country has beautiful seashores, enormous fields, high mountains and thick jungle. The western mountain – Andean range as high mountains and beautiful views.
Also, there is the Angel Falls which happens to be the highest waterfall in the world. According to the visitors attending the national park it is their favorite place. Venezuela also has the Orinoco River, which is one of the longest rivers on the continent of South America.
Venezuela is blessed with abundant natural resources, with oil being one of its most important. The country has some of the largest proven oil reserves in the world. Economic and political life of Venezuela is highly determined by this resource.
Culture and Traditions
Venezuelan civilization has components from the Native American, Spanish, and African civilizations. This rich cultural background finds its place in music, dance, and celebrations.
Prominent among them includes joropo, which is popular among many Venezuelans because of its hip shaking beats. The country has many festivals, one of the most famous is the Carnival which displays various costumes, floats and drum beats.
Food is part of the life of every Venezuelan. Arepas, which are pancakes made of cornmeal, are also taken daily. These can be stuffed with different fillings, thus, very tasty and multi-functional.
The Economy of Venezuela
For as long as anyone can remember, Venezuela’s economic activities have been driven by crude oil exports. More than ninty percent of every dollar earned from exports comes from oil commodities. However, the rampant economic adversities poses great threats to the people due to bad management and political squabbles.
Moreover, hyperinflation has been in vogue in Venezuela in the past few years. As a result most citizens suffer great economic deprivation. Crude foods, physical commodities, and even medicine are all in short supply.
This is not the only important field; agriculture also has its place in the system. Venezuela cultivates and exports coffee, cocoa, and several fruits. But this area of the economy has been overlooked and therefore underfunded.
Political Environment
Over the last few years the politics of Venezuela has been stormy. The ruling government under Nicolás Maduro has been accused of authoritarianism. The opposition and resistance took arms and protests have been in all corners leading to increased hostilities.
The political parties that have been in opposition have not helped matters. Most of the politicians have been imprisoned or forced to go into external political exile putting the country in a rough political situation. The response of the countries of the world has also been mixed as some have supported Mr. Maduro’s government while others have supported the other faction.
Social Issues and Human Rights
Among those that look to them, Venezuela confronts other social problems which include poverty, crime and violations of human rights. In particular, the country has the highest crime rate which has made some inhabitants feel insecure.
Numerous human rights organizations have affirmed that human rights such as arbitrary detention and freedom of speech have been abused Human rights abuses immediate and governmental oppression against those who oppose the regime.
Migration Crisis
With the political and economic crises came the great wave of mass emigration. A great number of Venezuelans left the country for other more prosperous countries. This has led to an acute refugee situation in surrounding countries.
Colombia, Brazil and many other South American countries have had an influx of Venezuelans Follows these countries are faced with problems of managing the sheer number of people that come.
International Relations
The foreign relations of Venezuela are multifaceted. Vanuatu has historically been associated with leftist regimes in the Latin American countries. It has included friendships with Cuba as well as backing for other socialist states.
However, such bilateral relations with the United States have not been fruitful. Sanctions have been placed against Venezuela by the U.S, which accuses the Venezuelan government of abuse of power over its civilians. These sanctions actually worsened the already existing problem.
The Resilience of the Venezuelan People
Venezuela, in this regard, is a different and in many ways more fortunate country. Many are still these who are ready to defend their rights and strive for the democracy. Much efforts to create positive changes are also included on public levels through civil Society participation.
This level of resistance can also be seen through musical and artistic forms. Among other things, artist use their works to address social concerns and advocate for hope.
Conclusion
Venezuela is a land full of beauty and rich in culture. It has its own unique history, geographical and sociocultural features that make up the country. Unfortunately this foreign is also intertwined with some hardships that are bound to affect the lives of its people.
For a proper comprehension of Venezuela one must get the complete picture that encompasses both, the positives and the negatives. People’s resilience is testament of their striving for prospective change. That optimism prevails even as Venezuela grapples with all these complex issues.
It is only by recognizing and understanding the diversity of Venezuela that we can appreciate the position that this country occupies in the world. This nation, with all its history and wealth, has not ceased to interest people.
