Monica Showalter of the American Thinker explores the impact of socialism on a once-thriving Latin American country.

You can tell that things are not going well for Venezuela’s Maduro socialist dictatorship, based on how they’re behaving now. All signs are out now that the rats are fleeing a sinking ship.

Giant contractors, even from Venezuela’s allies Russia and China, are pulling out, meaning the money’s running out.

Just as interesting are the huge 757 Russian off-radar cargo jet flights into Caracas bearing the name of a newly-founded company, which sounds like a front for the Russian government. They came and went, with unknown purpose, but lots of room for anyone who might want to … smuggle out the nation’s gold. …

… Clearly, the U.S. is using the power of its tremendous markets and alliances to curb the world’s few regimes that still support Venezuela. A very big plan seems to be in action.

It appears to be achieving mixed success.

But what’s important is the Venezuelan dictatorship’s indicative actions. Why are they so desperate to sell or get their nation’s gold out?

This is what dictators do who are getting ready to flee their countries. As Colombia’s president Ivan Duque noted, the Maduroites are in their last ‘hours.’ And National Security Advisor John Bolton has warned Maduro he’s looking at life in Gitmo.

The only conclusion is to think the cockroaches are scattering. The rats are fleeing and Bolton is going after them with a shovel. But the ship is sinking.