The worsening energy crisis is responsible for daily blackouts across the country and has led to a grassroots effort to recall President Nicolas Maduro.
The crisis in being blamed on lack of planning in the country's energy sector, and poor maintenance of its infrastructure.
These factors have been compounded by a prolonged drought that has now caused the water level behind Venezuela's largest dam, the Duri, has fallen to near the minimum level required to keep the it generating power.
This could be disastrous because the country lacks an alternative means of producing electricity.
Venezuela has one of the highest electricity consumption levels in South America. For most of the decade, electricity consumption increased to more than twice the rate of existing capacity.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Venezuela’s electricity consumption increased by 49 percent between 2003 and 2012, while installed capacity expanded by only 28 percent.
