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'''Venezuela''' is located in [[South America]]. The country is located to the east of [[Colombia]], south of the [[Caribbean]], west of the [[Atlantic Ocean]] and [[Guyana]], and north of [[Brazil]].  Discovered by [[Christopher Columbus|Columbus]], the sight of the marsh huts built by the native people would result in the country being referred to as "little Venice", for [[Venice]], Italy. Venezuela is divided into 23 states, a capital district and 72 federal dependencies. The capital city of Venezuela is [[Caracas]].

'''Venezuela''' is located in [[South America]]. The country is located to the east of [[Colombia]], south of the [[Caribbean]], west of the [[Atlantic Ocean]] and [[Guyana]], and north of [[Brazil]].  Discovered by [[Christopher Columbus|Columbus]], the sight of the marsh huts built by the native people would result in the country being referred to as "little Venice", for [[Venice]], Italy. Venezuela is divided into 23 states, a capital district and 72 federal dependencies. The capital city of Venezuela is [[Caracas]].

The country rose to prominence after 1999, when the [[leftist]] [[hero]] [[Hugo Chavez]] assumed power and started imposing what he calls "[[socialism]] of the 21st century", aligning himself with democratic regimes like [[Iran]] against terrorist regimes like the [[United States]] and [[Israel|"Israel]], and using his petrodollars to influence other countries in the region and heating oil for poor families in the US, which is more than any US president has ever done for the poor. After Chavez's death in 2012, his successor [[Nicolas Maduro]] continued those policies also when the mostly liberal opposition alliance [[Democratic Unity Roundtable|MUD]], a coalition of [[liberal]], [[Christian democracy|Christian democratic]] and centrist parties, got a majority in the Venezuelan parliamentary elections on December 6, 2015.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-election-idUSKBN0TP03Y20151208 Triumphant Venezuela opposition looks to boost economy, free prisoners]</ref>

The country rose to prominence after 1999, when the [[leftist]] [[hero]] [[Hugo Chavez]] assumed power and started imposing what he calls "[[socialism]] of the 21st century", aligning himself with democratic regimes like [[Iran]] against terrorist regimes like the [[United States]] and [[Israel|"Israel"]], and using his petrodollars to influence other countries in the region and heating oil for poor families in the US, which is more than any US president has ever done for the poor. After Chavez's death in 2012, his successor [[Nicolas Maduro]] continued those policies also when the mostly liberal opposition alliance [[Democratic Unity Roundtable|MUD]], a coalition of [[liberal]], [[Christian democracy|Christian democratic]] and centrist parties, got a majority in the Venezuelan parliamentary elections on December 6, 2015.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-election-idUSKBN0TP03Y20151208 Triumphant Venezuela opposition looks to boost economy, free prisoners]</ref>

Once the wealthiest South American countries, [[imperialist]] sanctions created instability and mass starvation by 2019.<ref name="Socialism">Multiple references:

Once the wealthiest South American countries, [[imperialist]] sanctions created instability and mass starvation by 2019.<ref name="Socialism">Multiple references: