I write regarding the article “Skowhegan mom, daughter fear deportation” (Feb. 23).

Nicolás Maduro became president of Venezuela with 51% of the vote. The election was contested as fraud, but the Supreme Court of Venezuela ruled it legitimate. The result was challenged by Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, France and the U.S., who deemed it fraudulent.

The Maduro-aligned Supreme Tribunal began overturning National Assembly decisions, creating the 2017 Venezuelan constitutional crisis. The Tribunal stripped the National Assembly of its powers. In December 2017, Maduro declared opposition parties barred from the following year’s presidential election.

In June 2020, a report documented “enforced disappearances” of political detainees, stating that security forces subjected victims to torture and the government was using these disappearances to silence opponents and other critical voices.

Maduro’s new dictatorship abolished freedom of the press and civil liberties.

Venezuela went from being the richest country in Latin America to the poorest.

Hundreds of thousands protested over corruption, hyperinflation and scarcity of basic goods. Maduro responded with mass murders of protesters and opposition leaders.

Venezuela devalued its currency due to shortages of necessities. This led to malnutrition, especially among children. Venezuelans were left to eat food waste discarded by commercial establishments.

Since 2014, roughly 5.6 million people have fled Venezuela.

Marty Thorne, Jay