U.S. guardianship over Venezuela endures. And with it a hard-to-describe sense of waiting grows among the population: a huge expectation of economic improvements and a transition to democracy that has yet to materialize. Impatience is spreading, especially among political elites. Oil production is rising, driven by new exploitation licenses granted by Washington, but the surplus has not yet translated into revenue for the treasury. The currency steadily depreciates. Economic stagnation is one of the most frequent — and distressing — topics of conversation in the streets of Caracas. Contrary to what Donald Trump said, Venezuelans are not dancing with joy in the streets.