POST#2
In Venezuela there are about 40 languages spoken. However, Spanish is the country’s official language. The most widely spoken indigenous languages are Wayuu, Warao, Piaroa, Yanomami, Kahlihna, Manduhuaca, Panaré, Pemón, Guahibo and Nhengtu. Most of these languages originated in the languages of the Caribs, the Arawaks and the Chibcha. As more indigenous people move to the cities, many of their languages are becoming extinct. Languages such as Sapé and Mapoyo have five or fewer speakers. Anthropologists are trying to learn these languages and the stories of these peoples before the last people who speak these languages die.
There are a number of immigrant languages spoken by their descendants in Venezuela. The most common include Chinese which is spoken by about 400,000 people, Portuguese spoken by 254,000 people, Arabic (110,000), English (20,000) and German (20,000). Some people who reside near the Brazilian border talk Portuguese. In the regions situated next to Guyana, English dialect is spoken by a few residents, mostly in the Ankoko Island. Colonic Tovar dialect, which is a dialect of the German language is used in the Colonia Tovar.
Venezuela is part of the UN, IMF, WTO. Venezuela has been part of the UN since November 15, 1945. The UN affirms that Venezuela needs humanitarian assistance. The United Nations has been expanding its humanitarian operations, releasing US$9 million from its emergency response fund, the CERF, and increasing the number of staff in the country from 210 to 400. The UN’s head of humanitarian affairs went on to present some key figures: 3.7 million are believed to have suffered from undernourishment in 2018, 2.8 million people are estimated to need health assistance, 400,000 cases of malaria were recorded in 2017, a 70 per cent increase from 2016, 17 percent of people living in poverty have no access to safe water, or receive it only once a fortnight and 2.7 million vulnerable people in the country need of protection assistance.
It was part of the IMF since 1946. Venezuela’s economy is highly dependent on oil production and exportation. Venezuela hasn’t had official financial relations with either the IMF or the World Bank after it paid off its debt five years ahead of schedule under President Hugo Chavez. The IMF and World Bank have stated their readiness to offer assistance if called upon. The IMF and World Bank shareholders are still undecided on whether to recognize Venezuelan opposition chief Juan Guaido as the country’s leader.
Venezuela has also been part of WTO member since January 1, 1995. Venezuela requested WTO dispute consultations with Colombia regarding certain Colombian measures affecting the distribution of liquid fuels. Venezuela’s request was circulated to WTO members on January 14, 2019.
The value for GINI index (World Bank estimate) in Venezuela is 39 in the present year. Gini index measures the extent to which the distribution of income, or, in some cases, consumption expenditure, among individuals or households within an economy deviates from a perfectly equal distribution.
A nation’s GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates is the sum value of all goods and services produced in the country valued at prices prevailing in the United States in the year noted. Venezuela’s GDP per capita based on PPP was at level of 10,798 international dollars in 2018, down from 12,264 international dollars previous year, this is a change of 11.96 percent. Venezuela ranks number 65.
As a crucial news this week, President Donald Trump welcomed Guaidó at the State of the Union speech Tuesday, while other members of Venezuela’s National Assembly lobbied at the United Nations European headquarters in Geneva with the support of Washington. There’s an active political crisis now, which needs to be resolved for the well-being of the country. Trump is calling for a “Free and Fair” parliamentary and presidential elections by increasing sanctions against Maduro’s presidency. Venezuela is at the moment needing of all humanitarian aid since many people are dying in the hospitals due to limited access to medicine and food. Meanwhile, On Friday, Maduro was expected to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Caracas, part of the veteran diplomat’s three-day visit to Latin America.
The crisis still continues.
References:
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-languages-are-spoken-in-venezuela.html
https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/04/1036441
https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/countries_e/venezuela_e.htm
https://www.indexmundi.com/facts/venezuela/indicator/SI.POV.GINI
http://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/venezuela-population/
https://www.worldeconomics.com/GrossDomesticProduct/Venezuela.gdp
South America 