The Petro-City Paradox: Maracaibo and the Failure of Imperial Urbanism
Dubbed as “the Venice of the West” by 16th-century Spanish colonizers, Maracaibo was cleverly shaped by an ingenious balance with the surrounding lake, using local materials and durable architecture. Today, it stands as the bleak symbol of imperial urbanism. The story of Maracaibo’s decline is inscribed in its materials.