Five years have passed since the death of Venezuela's legendary President Hugo Chavez. He was a career military officer who rode a wave of popular outrage at the traditional political elite and sold the idea of giving power to the people. Latin American Correspondent Juan Carlos Lamas takes a look at the legacy Chavez left behind, and what has become of his dreams for a socialist Venezuela.
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Millions of people consider former President Hugo Chávez a man who completely transformed Venezuela politically, economically and socially. He nationalized Venezuelan industries and poured huge infusions of cash into social programs. Five years after his death, Chavistas, as his supporters are known, still see him as Venezuela's savior. And even though the country has fallen into a deep crisis there's still support for Chavez's handpicked successor Nicolas Maduro.
Chavista Yajaira Rodriguez says she's benefitted from the socialist programs of Chavez and Maduro.
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"Chavez is a supreme leader among socialists, Maduro is his son, and I'm glad he is following my commander's legacy."
Since Nicolas Maduro was elected in 2013, the global price of oil has plummeted. Venezuelans are suffering from extreme shortages of food and medicine. Inflation has reached quadruple digits.
Máximo Febres blames government mismanagement for the country's social, political and economic crisis.
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"In the last five years, we've seen the consolidation of a totalitarian and military system, which I'm not afraid to call a dictatorship."
Maduro says Venezuela's current problems are part of an international conspiracy to destroy his government.
Economist Leonardo Vera says Venezuela has dug itself into a hole that will be difficult to get out of.
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" From 2015 to 2016, over 10 million people went from middle class to poverty. That's a clear example of the destruction of the quality of life in Venezuela."
Presidential elections are scheduled for May, and so far, the splintered opposition has not put forward a unifying candidate. Juan Carlos Lamas, Caracas.