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'Truly just devastating stories': The bleak outlook from inside Venezuela's deepening crises

Venezuela's embattled President Nicolas Maduro still appears to have a tight grip on power — here's the outlook from inside the country amid its deepening humanitarian and political crises.

Venezuela has been riven by protracted political and economic crises that have prompted mass protests and sparked a wave of migration. Venezuelans have fled throughout the region, with some going as far afield as Spain.

The many who remain live in a deeply divided country, where President Nicolas Maduro maintains power — solidified in a May 20 presidential election granting him another term amid widespread doubts about its legitimacy — in spite of rampant shortages, high rates of crime and violence, and a deteriorating economy.

Geoff Ramsey, the associate for Venezuela at the Washington Office on Latin America, a Washington, DC-based research and advocacy group, spent April in Venezuela, meeting with members of the public, the government, the opposition, civil-society groups, and others.

Ramsey spoke with Business Insider in late May, describing the conditions Venezuelans face at home as well as the political outlook fora situation that has frustrated the region and the world.

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The interview below has been edited for length and clarity.

'It's one thing to hear about them and another to see them firsthand.'

Christopher Woody: B

'Cash is worthless, but at the same time, nobody has any cash.'

Woody:

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Ramsey: T

"'Eh, what's the difference.'"

Woody:

'I think he continues to try to cast himself as a son of Chavez.'

Woody: For Maduro himself, it seems like a trend over the past couple of years is something of a shift from Chavismo [referring to the governance of Maduro's predecessor, Hugo Chavez] to what could be called Madurismo, and now he has this party, Somos Venezuela, so ... are we seeing kind of a shift from the party of Chavez to a government that is built in Maduro's image? Is he assuming that kind of stature?

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Ramsey: I think that that's certainly a play that Maduro wants to make. He, I think, would love to be able to capture the same crowds that Chavez did and command that same loyalty, but I think ultimately he hasn't been terribly successful at that.

There was a lot of speculation that the creation of this new party, Somos Venezuela, would amount to the herald of a new era of Madurismo, and the government did create this new party, and it certainly avoids using the traditional symbols of the ruling party, and it does espouse rhetoric that's more openly Madurista, but it actually didn't get that much support in the election.

If we're to believe the election results ... candidates for municipal councils of Somos Venezuela received less votes than [opposition candidates Javier Bertucci and Henri Falcon's] parties. So I think that that's definitely what Maduro would like, but I think it's easier said than done.

And I was watching his, whatever you want to call it, his swearing-in ceremony, [on Friday], I listened to his speech, and as much as I'm sure he would rather not have to rely on it, he invoked Chavez's name multiple times, and I think continues to try to cast himself as a son of Chavez.

'Blind to the problems within their coalition.'

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Woody: T

'Extremely disorganized and sapped of morale.'

Woody:

'This government has been so effective at isolating and silencing dissent.'

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