by Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry
The Week
Venezuela’s economy is in freefall. It’s probably the worst in the world — literally. The country tops Bloomberg’s “Economic Misery Index,” which looks at measures including inflation and unemployment to find the economy where things are worst for regular people.
Venezuela’s GDP is expected to plunge by a jaw-dropping 8 percent this year, and inflation is an even more gut-churning 720 percent, according to the International Monetary Fund. The Venezuelan government is imposing rolling blackouts on its citizens. Food shortages are rife, leading to lines and even looting. As The New York Times reports, in Venezuela’s hospitals children are dying for lack of medicine. The country is on the brink of collapse. And let’s keep in mind, Venezuela is one of the world’s most oil-rich countries.
What’s going on?