On a chilly Friday night in mid-June, Samuel boarded a chartered bus for a 14-hour journey along Venezuela's winding, decrepit highways. The bus had no air conditioning, no reclining seats, no space for bags or coolers, and no curtains to block the morning sun. At night, armed gangs and corrupt cops (there isn't much difference) patrolled the roads.

But the risk and discomfort seemed worth it for Samuel, his wife Julia, and their 8-year-old daughter, who shared his seat. The bus was part of a 20-vehicle caravan, packed with rowdy soccer fans dressed head to toe in team colors. They were headed to Caracas to cheer on Deportivo Táchira in the national soccer league final against Universidad Central de Venezuela.

Samuel, 33, is a bank clerk earning about $150 a month—barely enough to surviv

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