WELL, THAT’S ONE WAY TO SPIN SOCIALISM’S ABJECT FAILURES: US sanctions hurting Venezuela’s most vulnerable.

Take Alfredo Felix for example. The 60-year-old suffers from diabetes and needs dialysis three times a week. But the power outages of the past few days have been difficult for people like him.

“Because of the blackout I couldn’t do my dialysis and I felt dizzy and weak. I don’t know what is going to happen in this country. Sometimes I feel we are at a point of no return,” he says with tears in his eyes.

The acute shortage of medicines has added to the misery of patients like Felix.

Venezuela’s cash-strapped government is struggling with an economic crisis that has forced the country to reduce imports. This combined with hyperinflation is making it difficult for people to buy or even find the medication they need. Hospitals are struggling to find basic items to help those in need.

The situation is difficult for the Venezuelan government. Most economists say United States sanctions were implemented four years ago when the damage to the economy was already done.

“The first sanctions that prevented Venezuela from negotiating its debt came after Venezuela already had one of the highest risks in the world and the risk was because of the drop in oil prices and with a government that did not want to modify its budget or the controls on exchange rate,” said Ronald Balza an economist in the capital, Caracas.

“Venezuela continued spending when it already owed billions of dollars in debt,” said Balza.

As to how Venezuela found itself in such a difficult position remains a mystery.