Way to much rubbish to address in one post. How about I start with your assumption that poverty is on the decline there based on near twenty year old results, being 1996-2010 unsubstantiated claim.

I do not have the history of after 2010. Other than the possible collusion to drive oil prices low worldwide. Started about then. It is reasonable to think that countries that depended on their oil revenue got hurt. So Venezuala as well as Russia would be two examples of countries with a massive income drop. Had that manipulation not occurred both countries would have done much better over the period.

Details of the collusion for low oil prices may have included the quiet supplying of either nuclear technology or physical nuclear weapons to the Saudis. If true this may become a real major issue down the road.

It also helped China substantially to see low oil prices. Yet at the time it was perhaps thought that dealing with China was either not a major problem. Or their overall development rate as a result was not estimated properly. More than anything. The possibility of missing the consequences with China perhaps did not occur. To the planners at the time.

I think a reasonable description of the times is being in a state of illusion. Where the realities do not match up well against the presence of the illusions presented. I chose Venezuela. As the most probable situation to be observed by the American public in reasonable detail. Not that I thought it would occur. Just more probable than most of them.

Their stores for example are well stocked with food. They do have a real issue with inflation though. Far worse than in north America. For various reasons high inflation in north America should not be ruled out at some point as well. As a real possibility.

Their need for humanitarian food and medicines supplies. When the incoming convoy consisted of two lighter trucks. Is just total pretext. In trying to sell something or yet another illusion in north America that may not exist in reality. The international red cross tends to agree. It is not needed. The image is being artificially generated for political reasons.

Same with the media picture of the large opposition rally. A crowd photograph actually taken in Brazil. Where someone neglected to photo shop out a famous landmark there in the left side of the picture. The average north American would not identify the large sculpture. . The published picture then becomes just one more fabricated illusion. Of a large rally that did not exist in Venezuela.