Alejandro Velasco

But like, well, I can do this.

And social programs are still thriving.

Like, you know, public health is still accessible.

Like, it's not a zero-sum game.

It's additive, right?

And so in a weird way, the incentives that are created are less in terms of, and again, this could all be just exposed justification, but at the time, the incentives are less about, I need to get as much as I can right now because if not, somebody else will get it.

It's like, it's just there, right?

Why would I not?

It didn't feel like it was any kind of contradiction.

Right.

The problem in Venezuela is that it lasted for long enough to feel like it could go on forever.

Right.

So previous oil booms lasted maybe four or five years, and then the party was over.

This seemed to keep going and going and going until it didn't.

Chávez had just won the presidency in 2012, won it again by a significant margin, with a very powerful opposition at the time, I should say.

And so he, when he dies, is actually very, very popular.

His funeral is attended by heads of states from many nations.

And I feel like I can say this with some authority as a Venezuelan.

This is a classic Venezuelan.

Initially, when he dies, like, you know what we have to do?