I recently returned from Colombia but while there a childhood friend of my wife was visiting from Venezuela. The horror stories she told about lack of everything...and the spies for the guv all lurking around.
Colombia has made a huge turn around in the last 10-15 yrs and is a modern booming country. Stores and malls are full, companies are booming and the country has become solvent. Amazing place.
I understand that while he was alive Hugo Chavez imported thousands of state security agents from Cuba.
And native Spanish speakers I know have told me that the Venezuelan and Cuban accents are nearly indistinguishable.
So I am sure there’s a secret policeman on nearly every corner there.