JUST A THOUGHT - A MESSAGE FOR MADURO AND VENEZUELA: LET THE PEOPLE COME FIRST! THE END!

However, what is clear is that the Maduro government has been given the opportunity to make good its promise to make the people's lives better. 

And it has, admittedly, under adverse circumstances, made their lives worst.

Yes, the affairs of all nations are having to take place under very challenging circumstance. 

So President Nicolas Maduro cannot really claim any exceptional circumstances, or expect not to be held to account for his country's dire predicament.

But, for heavens sake, Mr President, avoid the tendency towards greater repression and cracking down on the opposition. 

It is not the solution, and can only make a bad situation worse.

The solution lies in your government demonstrating the wisdom to understand that Venezuela's dire predicament requires the country to unite. 

For all Venezuelans to come together and work effectively to pull the country and themselves out of the quagmire into which the country has fallen. 

Any action by the government which leads to increased division and conflict, can only lead to the country sinking further into the quicksand in which it is now floundering.

Remove the ban on Capriles, not because you might not think he deserves to be banned from politics. 

But because, at this point in the history of Venezuela, the country needs all of its prominent political, civil and industrial leaders to be on the same page. To be fighting for the salvation of the country.

It is, of course, difficult to comprehend why Capriles should warrant being banned, or being banned for such an extremely lengthy period of time. 

It is, in my opinion, most likely, an unjust and very unwise punishment. Which is clearly intended to remove him from political life. 

But such repressive acts are not what the country needs; they simply make the situation worse. 

By generating more division and conflict, which an embattled and wounded government resorting to even more repression. It leads to a downward cycle.

Hugo Chavez's revolution is going up in flames and smoke. It is time to change direction, strategies and tactics. 

Venezuela and her people are more important than 'the revolution.' Save them, even if it must be done at the cost of continuing the revolution.