Rum wrote:(Edit: In response to Tyrannical)
They were unlucky. Norway used their oil and gas to build up a fund of over a trillion dollars. Venezuela had their eye on the same deal but market economics got them in the end. That plus, in all likelihood, the CIA.
..and the Rabbit Defenders..
Norway also only has 5 million people........ But it does show that even with huge amounts of natural resources, an incompetent government can still ruin it all.
Even before the oil price crash, Venezuela had been skimping on infrastructure and maintenance of it's oil industry for years. Largest proven oil reserves in the world, has to import gasoline from the US. They also import a lot of light US crude, because Venezuelan refineries have to blend US light oil with the very thick Venezuelan oil.
A rational skeptic should be able to discuss and debate anything, no matter how much they may personally disagree with that point of view. Discussing a subject is not agreeing with it, but understanding it.