Hyperinflation, institutionalized blackouts, endless gasoline queues, cash shortages, an accentuated collapse of utilities and public infrastructure—these are all but some of the problems that have plagued Venezuela for around a decade now, none of them are new yet they’ve been exacerbated and dialed to eleven as of late.

It is the same tale of this country’s slow collapse, where it’s people either ultimately flee or struggle to survive for as long as possible. Yet, despite all of the calamities that you’ll find in the country Caracas is a right now very different and contrasting tale; the capital is a wonderland if you compare it to the utter collapse found in other regions of the country, a collapse that can no longer be hidden by the regime’s media machine.

A substantial amount of resources and efforts have been spent by the regime in order to keep the capital afloat, it is after all, the seat of power. Keeping the cerros calmed and appeased enough to maintain the delicate status quo is a paramount goal of theirs. Scheduled power blackouts—I mean, the “Load Balancing Plan” continue to plague almost every other state in the country, but here in the capital I’ve only experienced a couple power flickers over the past two months at most.

The sheer difference in the overall state of things makes Caracas feel like the Venezuelan Shangri-la, for the time being at least.

It all feels like a faint and unsustainable illusion though; at a first glance the capital of Venezuela is presented to you as if everything is alright in the country: no widespread protests, the usual crime and misery; heck, aside from some sporadic and meddlesome raining the weather has been extremely enjoyable this month so far, the birds are singing, and everything seems to be working.

In a way it grants you a sense of respite after all that’s happened over the past years, but you know that it’s not right—deep down you know that nothing has improved and it’s all a unsustainable facade. At times it all feels too good to be true and it’s easy to accept that as truth. However, the more you take a closer look at the city, the more cracks you’ll find.

Hyperinflation has slowed down it’s pace, not because the economic situation has improved—quite the opposite rather, but because everyone’s purchasing power has already been impaired or outright demolished, putting it in other terms, everyone’s simply running out of money.

The availability of erstwhile hard to find items has significantly improved, it’s quite amazing for me to see an entire row full of toilet paper (of the same brand) after I was part of a kerfuffle over it in that same place about five years ago.

For the first time in a while I’m openly seeing more bundles and “buy X amount of Y and get Z for free” offers in supermarkets and other establishments; gotta move that product somehow since nobody is spending money on them.