A Tale of Two Countries: In Free Market Guyana, the Best of Times, and in Socialist Venezuela, the Worst of Times

Socialist Venezuela, with its failing economy, lusts for Guyana’s Essequibo and its riches.

AP/Matias Delacroix
A woman holds a sign of the Venezuelan map with the Essequibo territory included during the closing campaign on Venezuela Referendum on dispute territory with Guyana at Caracas. AP/Matias Delacroix

It’s a tale of two countries. In the 1970s, Venezuela was the flashy, OPEC petrostate of the Americas. Bolstered by money flowing from the largest oil reserves in the world, Venezuela flooded Miami and New York with shoppers and college students. At home, gasoline was cheaper than water. New highways carried fleets of gas guzzlers.

Have an account? Log In

To continue reading, please select:

Limited Access

Enter your email to read for FREE

Get 1 FREE article

Continue with
or
Unlimited Access

Join the Sun for a PENNY A DAY

$0.01/day for 60 days

Cancel anytime

100% ad free experience

Unlimited article and commenting access

Full annual dues ($120) billed after 60 days

By continuing you agree to our
Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
Advertisement
The New York Sun

© 2025 The New York Sun Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The material on this site is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used.

The New York Sun

Sign in or  Create a free account

or
By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use