Trump and Maduro, on the warpath

"Dona Rosita fled Colombia more than 50 years ago due to poverty and violence. She arrived in 1970s Caracas, a cosmopolitan city with far more luxuries than in her hometown. It was like landing on another planet. In the Venezuelan capital, luxury cars cruised the highways, and the upper-middle class spent weekends in Miami. At that time, petrodollars, brought in by the country's massive crude oil exports, were pouring in."

"In 1992, rumors began to circulate that a coup was being planned against president Carlos Andres Perez. She went to the supermarket to stock up on rice, lentils, and canned food. Her neighbors told her she was overreacting and that nothing would happen. But it did. Commander Hugo Chavez attempted to overthrow Perez, though he did not succeed. Still, it was a time of fear and anxiety. Not for her she could have survived for months without leaving the house."

"Now Venezuela is facing a similar situation. She turns on the television and sees President Nicolas Maduro dressed in military uniform. She sees missiles, ships, men with rifles. She goes outside, heart pounding, and people tell her there's nothing to worry about. What war, Dona Rosita? All show, they joke. She doesn't trust them, so she has stocked up on supplies again."

"The end of the world won't take Dona Rosita by surprise. Over the past week, the United States and Venezuela have traded increasingly hostile actions. U.S. President Donald Trump has deployed ships, guided-missile destroyers, and even a nuclear submarine in international waters near Venezuelan territory. He says it's to fight drug trafficking, but Maduro whom Washington labels the leader of a narco-terrorist cartel believes it is a precursor to an invasion of his country."

Dona Rosita fled Colombia over fifty years ago because of poverty and violence and settled in 1970s Caracas, where petrodollars created conspicuous wealth. In 1992 she stockpiled food amid rumors of a coup, and Chavez's attempted overthrow validated her fears. She now reacts similarly to renewed tensions as President Nicolas Maduro appears in uniform and displays of military hardware alarm civilians. The United States has deployed naval forces near Venezuelan waters, citing drug interdiction, while Maduro views the moves as a possible prelude to invasion. The situation has historic echoes and has prompted widespread militia mobilization and civilian precautions.

Read at english.elpais.com