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How much worse can it get in Venezuela? We've seen story after story about how this country, which adopted socialism under the late Hugo Chavez, has been falling apart for the last few years, and one has to wonder how much farther down can it spiral.
No food, no teachers, violence in failing Venezuela schools
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No food, no teachers, violence in failing Venezuela schools
By HANNAH DREIER
Jun. 17, 2016 3:36 PM EDT
Associated Press
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Maria Arias slipped her notebooks into her backpack, scrounged for a banana to share with her brother and sister, and set off for high school through narrow streets so violent taxis will not come here for any price. She hoped at least one of her teachers would show up.
But her 7 a.m. art class was canceled when the instructor called in sick. History class was suspended. There was no gym class because the coach had been shot dead weeks earlier. And in the afternoon, her Spanish teacher collected homework and then sent the students home to meet a gang-imposed curfew.
"It's a trap," the slight 14-year-old with pink lipstick complained as she sat in the shade of a picked-over mango tree at the school's entrance. "You risk your life to be here and end up waiting around for hours doing nothing. But you have to keep coming because it's the only way out."
The soaring crime and economic chaos stalking Venezuela is also ripping apart a once up-and-coming school system, robbing poor students such as Maria of a chance at a better life. Officially, Venezuela has canceled 16 school days since December, including Friday classes because of an energy crisis.
No food, no teachers, violence in failing Venezuela schools
.