Cliff Maloney: Venezuela is a poster child for gun control gone wrong

Venezuela is on fire.

The country's collapse under President Nicolas Maduro is now considered to be the worst in decades. Opposition leader Juan Guaidó’s deputy remains in prison following his detainment just weeks ago. Millions of refugees, meanwhile, have fled the country for nearby Colombia, where life is far from perfect. Peace talks in Norway are ongoing, but unlikely to accomplish their goal.

There are many variables that led to this horrific chapter in Venezuela’s history, but before we dive into the what, we need to discuss the how.

Simply put: gun control.

In 2012, the Venezuelan National Assembly -- under Hugo Chavez’s dictatorship -- enactedthe “Control of Arms, Munitions and Disarmament Law” in an attempt to “disarm all citizens.” The law explicitly banned the exchange of firearms and ammunition to all with the exception of government entities.