Today, Explained Is Venezuela better now?
28 snips
May 6, 2026 
Missy Ryan, a national security and foreign policy writer at The Atlantic, breaks down Venezuela’s uneasy new chapter. The conversation digs into life after Maduro, why many people welcomed intervention but hated sanctions, how freedom still feels fragile, and why oil, elections, and family reunification are all tangled together.
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Carla Describes Life Under Maduro's Fear
- Carla says Maduro-era repression made ordinary speech dangerous and drove daily protests during the humanitarian crisis.
- She describes phone checks, WhatsApp messages used as evidence, and political prisoners jailed for expressing opinions.
The Crisis Reached Hospitals Kitchens And Families
- Carla ties Venezuela's collapse to daily material deprivation, not just abstract politics.
- She says patients had to bring their own anesthesia and gloves, the minimum salary fell to 30 cents, and emigration made her feel guilty eating ice cream abroad.
Why Carla Preferred Intervention Over Sanctions
- Carla argues sanctions hurt Venezuelans more than the regime and left Maduro intact.
- She says sanctions since 2015 did not change the government, but worsened shortages and the food crisis for ordinary people.