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Caracas, Venezuela, Facts: Prepared By: Michael Snyder
Caracas, Venezuela, Facts: Prepared By: Michael Snyder
Caracas, Venezuela, Facts: Prepared By: Michael Snyder
• Political crisis
o Widespread protests broke out in 2017 against the socialist government of President
Nicolas Maduro. The UN has criticized Venezuelan security forces for using
excessive force against protesters, at least 120 of whom have died.
o Protesters accuse the government of human rights abuses and economic
mismanagement, contributing to hyperinflation, unemployment, and food rationing. 3
Prepared as background material by the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security
for the Clade X tabletop exercise
o The US is Venezuela’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade estimated at
US$16.1 billion in 2016 (the last year of available data).
o Venezuela has not historically accepted US offers of food and humanitarian
assistance.4
REFERENCES
1. Minkel CW, Medina JR. Caracas. Encyclopedia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/place/Caracas. Accessed May 7, 2018.
2. O’Neil SK. A Venezuelan refugee crisis. Contingency Planning Memorandum No. 33.
Council on Foreign Relations. February 15, 2018. https://www.cfr.org/report/venezuelan-
refugee-crisis. Accessed May 7, 2018.
3. Hanna J, Faidell S. UN: Venezuelan protesters endure excessive force, other rights
violations. CNN August 8, 2017. https://www.cnn.com/2017/08/08/americas/venezuela-
unrest/index.html. Accessed May 7, 2018.
4. US Department of State. U.S. relations with Venezuela. April 2, 2018.
https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35766.htm. Accessed May 7, 2018.
Prepared as background material by the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security
for the Clade X tabletop exercise