Norberto Paredes

Maracaibo used to be the wealthy heart of Venezuela's oil boom but decades of mismanagement had hit it hard.

People here are desperate for the investment to bring Maracaibo back to life.

Getting ready for a trip out on the city's lake, these fishermen are being hit by both the economic downturn and the pollution caused by the decaying oil industry.

Carlos used to be able to pull in big catches.

Despite the removal of his president by Donald Trump, he's ready for American investment and the oil to start flowing once more.

In a nearby neighborhood, 93-year-old Jose is talking about his old job at the state-owned oil company.

International oil companies, many with US links, built whole neighborhoods for the workers.

There were schools, hospitals, clubs and security.

But today, many of these houses stand empty and some have been looted.

Many of the people who still live here survive on pensions that barely cover the basics.

Turning things around won't be easy.

Analysts say it could take tens of billions of dollars and potentially a decade to restore Venezuela's oil output to what it once was.

Juan Romero is a local member of parliament for the governing Socialist Party.

He says there is still anger over the US sanctions and military action that have hit the country.

Truths are mixed with lies.

For many people here, unlocking the country's vast oil wealth still feels a long way off.

Maracaibo is the oil heartland of the country with the largest pullman reserves in the world

This city is not what it used to be.

The colonial-style buildings, brightly painted in tropical colors, have faded and cracked.

The streets are full of potholes and very quiet.