Also here's something I have saved in my notes from some effort post from I don't remember which sub (note this is likely not super up to date) :

Venezuela Megathread: How Socialists Should Respond to Upcoming Events

As you all may have heard, there is a substantial uprising in Venezuela to overthrow the Maduro's government.. Lots of people are licking their chops to criticize the government for "economic failures", "food shortages", "toppling of dictators", and "SEE WHAT SOCIALISM DOES!". I want to use this as a guide for all those who are not buying that BS, and are seeing the true colors of Western imperialism and its war drum media to attack Venezuela.

But first, those socialists who say Venezuela is not "really socialism." Yes, I get it. They are not because labor does not own the mean of productions. But this is another example of how Western/US imperialism is attempting to trample a sovereign people who are voting these socialist into power. We should not be tearing them down when they are attempting to stabilize their socialist government from such imperialistic infiltration. We really need all hands on deck to push for more socialistic measures in Venezuela, and beating back the media frenzy is the way to do it.

Second, some sources come from Telesar (a pro-government media source). I ask that people focus on the information presented (mostly with primary sources) rather than using the strawman logical fallacy of attacking the source simply because it is bias. While I do agree that some of the narrative may be skewed, I am more focused on the raw data provided (documents, photos, interviews with locals, etc.) that show a different side to the crisis there.

Now, on to the refutations:

From u/big_al11:

Venezuela Before Chavez: Despite producing more than $300 billion of oil wealth between 1958-1998, the equivalent of 20 Marshall Plans, the majority of Venezuelans were living in shocking slums. By the 1990s, quality of life indicators for ordinary Caracas residents were slightly below Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. Between 1970-1997, workers' incomes declined by 50%, while poverty doubled between 1984-1991. There was widespread repression, with the previous 3 presidents all using censors and all suspending constitutional guarantees. The two main political parties, almost indistinguishable in ideologies shared the oil wealth between them, blocking out any third parties. Just in case, they rigged elections anyway, as 89% of Venezuelans believe. The LA Times' Bart Jones commented that the guy who came 4th in the 1993 election may have got the most votes. (Jones, B. Hugo!, p. 184.) Inflation reached 103% and there was considerable repression, like the infamous Caracazo where Jones describes “mass graves” filled with “mutilated corpses” of all ages. “Tied up corpses” with “bullets in the back of the head” and Red Cross workers gunned down in the street (Jones, Hugo, p.124). More here

Quick vid on Latin American economic imperialism

Documentary about Chavez and the failed 2002 coup,

Understanding the economics of Venezuela

Great vid on how the economic war is affecting the food supplies in Venezuela, which is managed by both government AND PRIVATE companies.

1.) "The US has nothing to do with Venezuela's downfall!"

State Department leaked document on the US goals for Venezuela. "Fundamental interest in Venezuela; (1) That Venezuela continue to supply a significant portion of our petroleum imports....

Western NGOs funneling financial aid to oppositional uprising, with docs from WikiLeaks.

This is extremely important. Venezuela's undoing may be due to the falling of oil prices, but not completely. The US has been pouring $49 million dollars into the opposition for its government to oust Maduro.. This is not just the undoing of the government. This has loads of US infiltration, with a purpose stated from the State department. More docs concerning Western NGOs.

2.) "People are dying from food and medical shortages!"

Since 2014, Venezuelan government has been finding medical and food supplies being hoarded and buried by privateers.

Medical supplies

Privateers hoarding food to sell at a higher profit in Columbia.

50 tons of food buried.

Opposition protesters burn 40 tons of food for poor families

Malnutrition trend on Venezuela from 1991-2015.

3.) "They are killing their people!"

Most comprehensive tracking chart from American journalist Michael Prysner; showing opposition is responsible for most deaths.

Racially motivated attack from opposition

Infograph on deaths

4.) "The people want Maduro out! He is creating a dictatorship through his Assembly!" (which really doesn't make any sense... Why would you get 545 new politicians in a new legislative body to create a dictatorship?)

Recent poll from the most respected and neutral polling organization shows 87% of Venezuelans reject the demonstrations against the government..

The NA wasn't disbanded; they are held in contempt until the opposition complies with the rulings that 3 opposition lawmakers could not be sworn in due to electoral fraud. If the NA complies then it would be reversed, they won't because this is exactly what the imperialists need after a horrible setback in the OAS.

"On Tuesday, Chavistas took to the streets of Caracas en masse following an attempt to bring impeachment proceedings against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the opposition-held legislature... Chavistas expressed their rejection of the over 53 thousand fraudulent signatures collected by the opposition earlier this year as part of the initial request to begin the recall referendum process against Maduro. They also denounced the right-wing's refusal to sit down for Vatican-mediated dialogue with the government despite having demanded the inclusion of the Pope in the first place."

Pictures on more pro-government rallies

5.) "They tampered with the votes"

The CEO himself literally says in the video that it is nearly impossible to falsify information, and if there is tampering, it would be obvious. If it's coming from the CEO's mouth, and then he is the only one saying this, then it's obvious something is a miss when he says the government "miscalculated" its numbers.

Venezuelan election authority calling for an immediate investigatory audit..

US trade unionist acting as international observers claims "Mass Media Lies on Venezuela (newly elected) Assembly".

For more info, check out u/blackbelt54's google doc here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LvHlf5LfND7zzipltzuifwR_7J2ilFCMJEvAA3wluGE/edit.

TL;DR: Quick refutation guide for those attempting to defend Venezuela from imperialist infiltration from the Western media frenzy against the government.

Edit: Be aware, other people may brigade this post.

Edit 2: Mods, can this be stickied? I think people can gain a lot from this info here.

Edit 3: Thanks u/sihplak for the great link to u/neurochic comment. Something very concerning this user said in their post, mainly:

Following this nationalization the largest U.S. oil company (Exxon Mobile), which at the time controlled most of our reserves, decided to leave Venezuela and sued our government.

It doesn't bode well for us that the new U.S. Secremovedy of State used to be the President of Exxon Mobile.

The biggest opposition parties in Venezuela are relatively new. The two biggest ones (Voluntad Popular and Primero Justicia) were created right around the time when Chavez rose to power. Their members frequently travel to Washington D.C. and call for foreign intervention to rid us of a socialist "dictatorship" (it isn't a dictatorship, that is a U.S. media narrative). These opposition parties are for the most part ideologically empty, run by oligarchs, supported by private Venezuelan news outlets that belong to the old right-wing oligarchy, and allied with the U.S government.

When the rich fuck off with their money

I can think of a way to solve this problem