BOGOTA – Venezuela’s only telecommunications satellite has veered off its orbit and stopped working, creating a logistical headache for the cash=strapped South American nation.
The Chinese-built satellite was launched among much fanfare in 2008 under the watch of former President Hugo Chavez, who said that the six-ton machine would help to “construct 21st century socialism” and contribute to Venezuela’s “independence and sovereignty.” But as Chavez’s socialist revolution decays under U.S.
sanctions and years of economic mismanagement, the nation’s prized satellite is tumbling in space and has become useless three years before its planned expiration date of 2023.