[Editorial] Venezuela: health beyond the political turmoil

00:00 - 07 Feb 2026

Since the illegal US military intervention and kidnapping of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, news of Venezuela has been dominated by oil, narco-terrorism, and Nobel prizes. Venezuelans have largely been ignored during the ensuing political disputes, despite the country facing one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, following economic collapse and mass emigration. Over 20 million Venezuelans are living in poverty, with inadequate access to food and essential medicines. While the country's political future remains uncertain, one clear priority is to protect the health of the Venezuelan people.