I’m Venezuela-based AP correspondent Scott Smith and I’m here to take questions about the challenges journalists face covering corruption, rights abuses, the economic crisis, migration and more.

What is the opinion of the average Venezuelan on the street about Nicolas Maduro, considering the circumstances? Would you say that support for him has decreased a lot compared to say, 5 years ago? Are there rumours/plans of people wanting to overthrow him?

Polling shows that President Maduro is unpopular, and many people I meet vent frustration at the government because of their daily struggles. At the same time, my reporting has taken me to neighborhoods of Caracas where people maintain their loyalty, blaming international forces for their poor quality of life.

What do your Venezuelan colleagues believe?

I can't speak for my colleagues, but I can represent that many people I meet and interact with are frustrated and tired of the living conditions. Many have left the country in recent years because they cannot get basic medicine they need or they can't earn a living to support their families. They go abroad to send money home, and those staying behind rely on this income.

Hi Eric, I’m the r/IAmA mod who put this journalism project together. I have a question. I tried to get several Venezuelan newspapers to do an AMA and none of them got back to me after months of reachout. Do you think this is because the papers themselves have been shut down, or because the editors and journalists (understandably) fear the repercussions of speaking freely on a platform like Reddit?

Journalists here say they work under great pressure. They fear being jailed, sued and several have left the country in fear for their personal safety. The pro-government assembly last year passed a law that carries up to 20 years in prison for publishing material deemed hateful. Others say their online work is blocked from public view, and they blame government censors.

Also, some newspapers have been bought by powerful people associated with or in the government.

How did this situation start?

What are the day to day hardships people face?

How do people try to keep themselves happy in this situation?

Venezuela’s crisis is years in the making, and of course it depends who you ask. People opposed to the current government blame nearly 20 years of socialist rule started by the late-President Hugo Chavez and now President Nicolas Maduro. The government, by contrast, blames imperialist powers, starting with the United States for an economic war against Venezuela.

Most people here struggle day-to-day to find the basics like food and medicine. Catching a bus to get around town is time-consuming and expensive for most people who earn the minimum wage, which equals a few dollars a month. The struggles are real.

It is so sad to know that's the condition people are living in.

What do you think has changed the most since the crisis started, at a social level?

Thank you for answering

I think that people feel powerless to change anything, so they're leaving the country. Last year, thousands of Venezuelans took to the streets in daily protests that left more than 120 people dead in conflict with government forces. Nothing changed. The government remains firmly in place under President Maduro. The presidential election in May revealed that people don't see a way out of this crisis, and they didn't vote, either in protest or a sense of being powerless.

Has your journalistic prowess led you to a conclusion? Which side is correct?

Many people point to corruption as a major downfall in Venezuela. We've reported on the many arrests of former officials and people connected with Venezuela's state-run oil company, PDVSA. Investigators seized vast property holdings. U.S. authorities also point to corruption by high ranking officials while sanctioning people the government.

What precautions would you recommend taking for an American considering visiting Venezuela? I am fluent in Spanish and have visited about half of the countries in Latin America, including Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, and El Salvador. However, I have not visited Venezuela yet because it seems too dangerous.

Venezuela is a challenging place to visit now without a support network. This is unfortunate because there are many amazing things to see - beautiful islands, amazing beaches, the Andes, waterfalls and more. But simple things like getting cash are a real challenge. Transportation can also be hard. Because of the instability, you really need to know whose car you’re getting into.

As a U.S. journalist, I work very closely with my colleagues who are Venezuelan and have lived and worked here for many years. I've been reporting in Venezuela for a year now, and I have no had any security problems. But I am careful.

A few months ago I read that the VZ government raised the national min wage to many times what it was. I never heard a follow up; How did that turn out? What is the average wage (hourly or daily) for a recent high school graduate?

Yes, the government dramatically raised the minimum wage, from the equivalent of $1-2 a month to the equivalent of $30. But as inflation continues surging without any success at turning around the underlying economic problems, the minimum wage is devoured and shrinks daily. I estimate that today the monthly minimum wage is roughly equal to $12, just a couple months after the adjustment, so you see how it is losing value.

Good morning, Reddit! I see lots of great questions.

Let's start from the top here.

What would the "right" way be for Venezuela to get their economy back on track?

Many people I talk with say Venezuela's solution is political. The Maduro government has drawn criticism from many leaders in the international community for maintaining power through undemocratic practices and holding a presidential election that banned opposition groups, many jailed and living in exile out of fear for their safety. International groups say that once democracy is restored, they will resume diplomatic and economic relations with Venezuela.

What's something you saw in Venezuela that you would never forget for the rest of your life?

The poverty is striking. It is common to see people picking through and eating from piles of garbage on the street.

On another level, inflation is soaring and hard to imagine without living here. Until recently $1 was equal to several million bolivars, the local currency. Then, the government began issuing new money, lopping off five zeros. Despite this move inflation continues to rise. The International Monetary Fund recently predicted that this year inflation would top 1 million percent.

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Bitcoin has not taken off. Interestingly, the government has announced it is creating its own cryptocurrency called the petro. It is surrounded by a lot of confusion and I don't know of anybody who has been able to find a way of purchasing a petro, despite the government saying it is available.

So, no, neither the bitcoin nor the petro have taken off. Many people save money with U.S. dollars, which hold their value compared to the local currency, the bolivar.