Thousands of tw*tter users cope and seethe because a politician said something reasonable.

And why exactly do you think the diaspora happened? Are the six million-ish (hur hur) emigrants all landlord gusano chuds? The country's been bleeding citizens for over a decade, and well before any US sanctions took place or started having any real impact. Even more people would've left if it weren't for the fact that their bureaucracy is complete shit and getting passports usually requires both lots of waiting and copious bribes, and the money for such often has to come from family who've emigrated managing to send funds their way.

Of course Maduro has his flaws

Maduro is a complete fricking r-slur who has only accelerated the downward course Chavez sent the country in, only he doesn't even have the charisma Chavez had. He's largely reaping what was already sown, but he doesn't have the competence to even arrest the momentum. The sanctions certainly didn't help, but the country was already fricked by a decade plus of gross mismanagement, corruption, oppression and pants-on-head r-slurred economic policy beforehand.

None of this is controversial or rightoid cope. Just ask any Venezuelan who's escaped, or most who still live there and have regular internet access (and aren't specifically in the pocket of the ruling party). The country is a hellhole and getting worse, the humanitarian crisis is nearly unprecedented, and stupid fricking western leftoids keep carrying water for the corrupt, dissent-squashing, oppressive regime because it's not about principles or human suffering, it's about scoring points for each team and it's easier to blame the all-powerful CIA than to admit that Latin Americans and left-wing politicians are plenty capable of fricking over countries on their own.

Yes I'm seriousposting on rDrama, frick me up longpostbot. I've heard too many harrowing accounts firsthand from Venezuelans who've suffered under Maduro's malice and incompetence to have any patience for this horseshit.