Venezuela had the world's largest proven crude oil reserves with approximately 17% of global reserves. And yet its citizens are among the poorest in the world. Up to 7 million have fled the country over the past decade causing political instability in all its neighbours - including the US.
Now the South American nation faces another crisis as it appears to have rigged the recent Presidential elections in favour of the incumbent Nicolas Maduro.
For more on this Emmet spoke to Jon Farmer the Editor-In-Chief at LatinNews and Editor of our Latin American Weekly Report.