Changes

'''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]] [[dictator]] [[Hugo Chavez]] assumed power and started imposing what he calls "[[socialism]] of the 21st century", aligning himself with terrorist regimes like [[Iran]], and using his petrodollars to influence other countries in the region. 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]] [[dictator]] [[Hugo Chavez|Hugo Chávez]] assumed power and started imposing what he calls "[[socialism]] of the 21st century", aligning himself with terrorist regimes like [[Iran]], and using his petrodollars to influence other countries in the region. 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, [[socialist]] policies created instability and mass starvation by 2019.<ref name="Socialism">Multiple references:

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

==Government==

==Government==

The president is elected by a plurality vote with direct and universal suffrage. The term of office is six years, and a president may be re-elected to a single consecutive term. The president appoints the vice president. He decides the size and composition of the cabinet and makes appointments to it with the involvement of the National Assembly. Legislation can be initiated by the executive branch, the legislative branch (either a committee of the National Assembly or three members of the latter), the judicial branch, the citizen branch (ombudsman, public prosecutor, and controller general) or a public petition signed by no fewer than 0.1% of registered voters. The president can ask the National Assembly to reconsider portions of laws he finds objectionable, but a simple majority of the Assembly can override these objections.

The president is elected by a plurality vote with direct and universal suffrage. The term of office is six years, and a president may be re-elected to a single consecutive term. The president appoints the vice president. He decides the size and composition of the cabinet and makes appointments to it with the involvement of the National Assembly. Legislation can be initiated by the executive branch, the legislative branch (either a committee of the National Assembly or three members of the latter), the judicial branch, the citizen branch (ombudsman, public prosecutor, and controller general) or a public petition signed by no fewer than 0.1% of registered voters. The president can ask the National Assembly to reconsider portions of laws he finds objectionable, but a simple majority of the Assembly can override these objections.

===Constitutional Reforms===

===Constitutional Reforms===

Current President Hugo Chavez was elected in 1998 on a platform that called for the creation of a National Constituent Assembly in order to write a new constitution for Venezuela. Chavez's argument that the existing political system had become isolated from the people won broad acceptance, particularly among Venezuela's poorest classes, who had seen a significant decline in their living standards over the previous decade and a half. The National Constituent Assembly (ANC), consisting of 131 elected individuals, convened in August 1999 to begin rewriting the Constitution. In free elections, voters gave all but six seats to persons associated with the Chavez movement. Venezuelans approved the ANC's draft in a national referendum on December 15, 1999.

Current President Hugo Chávez was elected in 1998 on a platform that called for the creation of a National Constituent Assembly in order to write a new constitution for Venezuela. Chavez's argument that the existing political system had become isolated from the people won broad acceptance, particularly among Venezuela's poorest classes, who had seen a significant decline in their living standards over the previous decade and a half. The National Constituent Assembly (ANC), consisting of 131 elected individuals, convened in August 1999 to begin rewriting the Constitution. In free elections, voters gave all but six seats to persons associated with the Chavez movement. Venezuelans approved the ANC's draft in a national referendum on December 15, 1999.

===Political Turmoil===

===Political Turmoil===