But years of mismanagement have scaled back those dreams, if not dismantled them altogether, in an economic collapse that is one of the worst in the Western Hemisphere in modern times. This election, it seems, is in many ways about food. Many people call the country’s malnutrition the “Maduro diet,” laying blame for the gaunt figures that are common sights now on Mr. Maduro. A large majority of Venezuelans are dependent on the government for subsidized groceries distributed by local councils loyal to the president. Food has even entered the election, potentially controlling the way Venezuelans will vote.
