Effects of Hugo Chávez living longer

Venezuela's economy has rapidly deteriorated after Hugo Chávez died of cancer in 2013 and the vice-president Nicolás Maduro took his place. Maduro is also known for his erratic behavior, such as claiming Hugo Chávez visited him as a "pajarito" ("little birdie"). Would Venezuela's economy and politics be more stable if "El Comandante" had either survived cancer or simply never had it in the first place? Or would the high amount of government corruption in Venezuela cause a similar crash anyway?
 
Ultimately, while Chavez's death put a probably unstable, and clearly inadequate man into power (Maduro), a lot of the crisis was out of his hands. Venezuela has been in the shit for a while, but oil money helped to paper over the cracks.

Take that away, the whole thing falls apart
 
There wouldn't be a Chavez myth.

Crooks have multiplied with Maduro, but it was the former's economic policies that created the current situation.
 
Only by a complete reversal of "Chavismo" could Venezuela begin a climb out of the hole it went in to. Whether Chavez or Maduro as long as the same political and economic policies are followed, the hole gets deeper and deeper. The eccentricities of Maduro, and the increased corruption - which would mostly happen anyway as the grey and black markets arose in response to the economic dysfunction - are really only icing on the cake. Things could actually get worse with Chavez as his personal aura continues, and he could instigate military confrontation with his neighbors who are accused on robbing Venezuelan resources and he might actually get some backing from Cuba.
 
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