Venezuela, The Starving Socialist Dystopia (Part 1)

I've noticed that too...

Lol...

Derp derp derp, uuhhh, it wasn't true socialism though!!

I guess when they complain about capitalism we could say that it wasn't true capitalism or feudalism was never tried by the right nobleman.
 
That is depressing. Maduro needs to be flayed

Unfortunately, Maduro's grip on power is secured for as long as there's just enough food to feed the Army.
 
Unfortunately, Maduro's grip on power is secured for as long as there's just enough food to feed the Army.
And when they run out of that I bet he becomes more and more like what happened in NK. Military gets whatever the barebones shit is while the great leader eats like imported lobsters and shit.
 
Addressing Venezuela, China Says Choice of Path Must Be Respected
Dec. 22, 2017

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Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza (L) walks with China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing on December 22, 2017.


BEIJING (Reuters) - A country's right to choose its own development path must be respected, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Venezuelan counterpart on Friday, offering support for the strife-torn Latin American nation.

The OPEC member is locked in a deep political and economic crisis, with more than 125 people killed during months of opposition protests earlier this year, drawing condemnation from the United States and Europe.

Meeting in Beijing, Wang told Jorge Arreaza that stability in Venezuela was not only in his own people's interests, it was also the common wish of the international community, including China, China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"China wishes that Venezuela maintains its trend of returning to stability, and encourages the resolution of the problems that exist via dialogue and consultation within a legal framework," the ministry cited Wang as saying.

"Every country's right to go down a development path that accords with its national conditions should be respected," he added.

China and oil-rich Venezuela have a close diplomatic and business relationship, especially in energy. China has repeatedly brushed off widespread condemnation from the United States, Europe and others about the situation in the country.

Last month, China, along with Russia, Egypt and Bolivia, boycotted an informal public U.N. Security Council meeting on Venezuela organized by the United States.

On Wednesday, Venezuela's pro-government legislative superbody ruled that parties which boycotted this month's local elections had lost legitimacy, potentially eliminating the main opposition groups from the 2018 presidential race.

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/a...a-china-says-choice-of-path-must-be-respected
 
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How hyperinflation stole Christmas in Venezuela
By Anthony Faiola December 22

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People wait in line in front of a bank in Caracas, Venezuela, to withdraw their pension, which is $6 (USD) per month​

CARACAS, Venezuela — They were the cheapest in the store, but the Converse knockoffs were still 500,000 bolívars a pair. “Son locos” — they’re crazy — Viviana Acosta had said, gingerly placing the sneakers back on the shelf.

Just before Christmas, the world’s worst inflation crisis in nearly a decade wasescalating — bringing a country of nearly 32 million, once Latin America’s richest per capita, to its knees. Shoes for the kids had been Viviana’s plan for the holidays. But multiply by three — for two daughters and one son — and it was three months worth of what she earned doing house-call hair and nails.

She walked outside, to the half-empty shopping street, rubbing the fatigue out of her eyes. The treat she’d just given the kids for breakfast — oatmeal, sold by a man on the street — had nearly doubled in price in one month, to 5,000 bolívars a cup. Viviana and Enrique Alvarado, her husband, had gone without.

They were passing an image of Venezuela’s late leader Hugo Chávez — “Always with us,” the writing underneath proclaimed — when she spotted real trouble.

The toy store.

“Don’t get too excited,” Viviana, 29, called out as squealing Victoria, 4, Ruben, 9, and Michel, 12, dashed inside.

“Mommy, look!” said Ruben, pointing at a box of Transformers.

She leaned in, reading the price.

“Five million,” she mouthed, aghast. Ten months’ pay.

Ruben looked up at his mother. She looked embarrassed.

Then Ruben was blushing, too.

“Mommy,” he said, taking her hand. “Let’s go look at something else.”

A broken economy


Venezuelans are calling this “Infeliz Navidad” — Unhappy Christmas — a holiday season devastated by hyperinflation.

Under Chavez, who came to power in 1999, oil-rich Venezuela proclaimed itself a socialist paradise. Industries were nationalized. Government handouts multiplied.

But Venezuela’s economy no longer works.

The past six months have brought the kind of shocking price surges that the world last saw in Zimbabwe in 2008. Venezuela hasn’t released official inflation data since 2015. But last month, according to the Caracas-based statistical firm Ecoanalitica, the country slipped into hyperinflation — and hit an annualized rate of nearly 2,000 percent.

The cash-strapped government is now teetering on default, printing reams of bills to keep the economy afloat. That fuels inflation. Venezuela has tried to prop up an official exchange rate as low as 10 bolívars to the dollar. But the thriving black market has effectively set its own exchange rate, in which the bolívar has fallen 97 percent against the dollar since Jan. 1.

Then, it took 3,164 bolívars to buy a dollar.

Now, it takes 123,000.

The nearly worthless bolívar means that imports — which are generally purchased in dollars — are prohibitively expensive, and Venezuelan businesses can’t afford to buy foreign-made inputs, slowing their production.

As inflation soars, hospitals are increasingly running short of antibiotics, gauze, HIV antiretroviral and cancer drugs. Parents unable to feed their children are abandoning them at orphanages. Because public utilities can’t afford new electricity cords or spare parts, the country is experiencing frequent blackouts. The government just minted a 100,000-bolívar note.

Consumer prices here have been rising for years, particularly since President Nicolás Maduro took over after Chavez’s death in 2013. The plunge in the global price for oil has been one big factor. Another is sharply falling oil production, as the industry here buckles under the weight of corruption, neglect and a flight of expertise.

The government has sought to aid citizens with additional cash handouts and the promise of extra food baskets. It blames the economic woes on speculators, hoarding by greedy oligarchs and attacks by foreign powers — particularly the Trump administration, which in August imposed sanctions that made it harder for Venezuela to access the U.S. financial system.

Yet the vastly accelerated slide into hyperinflation came after a July election tainted by fraud. It created a new super-legislature of government loyalists that replaced the opposition-controlled National Assembly, and gave Maduro virtually dictatorial power.

Modern currency values are linked to the credibility and solvency of national governments. Critics now say Venezuela’s government lacks both.

Hard decisions

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Enrique Alvarado, holding his daughter Victoria, walks with his wife and son after trying to find affordable presents for Christmas.

Downtown Caracas was once festooned with Christmas lights during the holidays. Now, as Enrique and Viviana strolled with their kids down a major Caracas shopping street, it was devoid of holiday decor.

“It’s like Christmas isn’t even happening this year,” said Enrique, 30, as he carried his 4-year-old, Victoria, in his arms.

As the family walked the Boulevard Sabana Grande, they passed long lines at ATMs. In Venezuela, larger transactions are now mostly made by bank card. Financial institutions are rationing cash withdrawals to 10,000 bolívars a day, about 8 cents at the black market rate. To have enough cash to buy smaller items, many Venezuelans must go to the ATM day after day.

Viviana and Enrique had some cash on hand — but for all the wrong reasons.

To keep up with inflation, the government is constantly raising the monthly minimum wage. The last hike, in November — from 325,000 to 456,000 bolívars, in cash and food stamps — was too much for the construction company that employed Enrique. It laid off nearly half its staff — including him.

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Enrique Alvarado gestures as he sees the prices of Christmas decorations. Enrique lost his job a month ago because his former employer couldn't afford his salary due to the increase in the minimum wage.


“I don’t blame them,” said Enrique, adjusting his L.A. Lakers hat. “Nobody is building. Everything has stopped.”

Enrique and his wife had decided that Enrique would use his 1 million bolívar severance payment to go to Colombia in January. Following in the footsteps of tens of thousands of Venezuelans, he’d cross the border illegally — passports were too expensive, and took too long to get — to look for work. They’d be apart, but he’d send money home.

Both Ruben and his eldest sister sensed how bad things were. To spare their parents, they hadn’t even turned in Christmas lists this year.

Little Victoria was a different story.

In her father’s arms, she smiled wide, pulling out a creased piece of paper from her pocket and holding it in front of her pink plaid shirt. The letter was decorated with a Christmas tree and Santa’s face.

“Dear Baby Jesus,” she began reading aloud, addressing the figure who in the Venezuelan tradition was the real power behind Santa’s throne.

“I want roller skates, makeup, a puppy and a baby doll.”

She folded her hands.

“That’s what I want, Daddy,” she said. “Can I have it?”

Enrique blinked.

“Little daughter,” he said, burying his face in her shoulder.

‘The Maduro diet’

Two days later in their townhouse an hour west of Caracas, Viviana had almost forgotten about gifts. She was too busy worrying about food.

The family had never seen themselves as quite middle class, but for a while, they got close. They took holiday trips to the beach. Last year, with inflation growing, the vacations stopped and they cut back on food, but they’d still managed a traditional Christmas dinner of baked ham, chicken salad and hallacas — meat-stuffed tamales.

This year, it was going to be just the hallacas — if they could find, and afford, the ingredients.

That morning, she’d prepared herself for the hours-long line at the grocery store to get beef at government-regulated prices. But she’d heard from a cousin who had just been at the market. “Don’t bother,” she’d said. There was none on the shelves.

It had been like this for days. Chicken, too, had almost disappeared. The government has sought to limit the inflationary pain by regulating prices for foodstuffs like meat, corn meal and bread. But it only appeared to be making the shortages worse. Producers, their costs soaring, were refusing to sell at a loss.

So far this year, Viviana had lost 20 pounds, skipping meals so she could feed the kids.

“It’s the Maduro diet,” she said. “The kids are joking at school that even Santa is thin this year.”

At the same time, hyperinflation was eating away at her income. This month, she was charging 25,000 bolívars for doing nails — the same as she did in November. Yet the cost of the nail hardener she used had tripled in one month, to 3,000 bolívars. If her blow dryer went, so too would her sideline business in hair. A replacement now would run 1.5 million.

Christmas was just making the stress worse.

“I wish we could just fall asleep for a day and not wake up for Christmas,” Viviana said. “That would be better.”

“But,” she said, “the kids.”

They were born-again Christians, and hadn’t put up a tree in years — didn’t really believe in it. Like many in their neighborhood, though, they decorated every year, with bunting and lights. This year, it wasn’t happening. Only one street in the neighborhood had bothered to decorate — and that was just five plastic lights.

Victoria had insisted on a tree this year. They had struck a compromise: They would take some old pine garland and glue it to the wall in the shape of a tree.

But “her tree” needed lights, Victoria had insisted.

At a moment of raging inflation and food shortages, it was an absurd luxury — a 40,000-bolívar hit. Enrique needed that money for his Colombia trip. But it was Christmas, and she was his 4-year-old.

Viviana sighed when her husband walked in the door with the box.

“Twenty lights for 40,000?” she exclaimed.

And then the “tree” was twinkling with the tiny, blinking white lights. Victoria was beaming. Enrique was smiling, too.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...c636f076c76_story.html?utm_term=.b5c28414790e
 
Went to xe.com to convert those bolivars for the Converse knock-offs and the oatmeal to US dollars. My mouth is still agape.

Consider that pension in Venezuela now pays out to the equivalent of $6 a month, you can bring one hour worth of your salary down there and have the same experience as those kids on Eurotrip:



(Minor detail: Instead of a plate of lobster, you'll get roasted flamingos and anteaters)
 
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Venezuela expels top Brazil and Canada diplomats
24 December 2017

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Delcy Rodriguez said Canada has repeatedly meddled in Venezuela's internal matters

Venezuela has expelled the Brazilian ambassador to Caracas, Ruy Pereira, and Canadian charge d'affaires Craib Kowalik.

The move was announced by the head of Venezuela's powerful Constituent Assembly, Delcy Rodriguez.

Ms Rodriguez accused Brazil of violating the rule of law and Canada of interfering in Venezuela's internal affairs.

Both countries have strongly criticised the move.

The decision to expel Ambassador Pereira may have been triggered by Brazil's recent complaint that President Nicolás Maduro was "constantly harassing the opposition".

Canada imposed sanctions on senior Venezuelan officials a few months ago.

'Rude and vulgar'

Venezuela's diplomatic relations with Brazil have deteriorated since Brazil's centre-right President, Michel Temer, replaced left-wing leader Dilma Rousseff.

Her impeachment was described by Mr Maduro as a "right-wing coup".

"Diplomatic relations with Brazil will not be restored until the government reinstates the constitutional order it has effectively broken," said Ms Rodriguez at a news conference on Saturday.

The Brazilian government said the move showed once again the authoritarian nature of President Maduro's administration.

Ms Rodriguez accused Mr Kowalik of "permanent and insistent, rude and vulgar interference in the internal affairs of Venezuela".

Relations with Canada have been difficult for months. Ottawa imposed sanctions on Venezuelan officials earlier this year for alleged human rights violations and corruption.

Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said in November that the sanctions were illegal and accused the Canadian government of "shameful and utter submission to Donald Trump's administration".

Canada responded to the expulsion of its charge d'affaires by saying it would not be cowed into easing pressure on the Maduro government.

Canada and Brazil were among many countries critical of Mr Maduro's decision to convene a Constituent Assembly, which effectively replaced the opposition-controlled National Assembly.

The announcement prompted mass street protests, which killed more than 120 people in four months.

The opposition boycotted the poll in July and also held an unofficial referendum in which they said more than seven million Venezuelans voted against the constituent assembly.

The European Union and major Latin American nations have said they will not recognise the new body.

The US imposed sanctions on Mr Maduro and the Trump administration labelled him a "dictator".

Mr Maduro's six-year term ends in 2019. He is due to run for re-election next year.

The opposition has accused Mr Maduro and his predecessor, the late Hugo Chavez, of destroying the country's economy with their socialist policies.

Venezuela has one of the world's highest inflation rates and for years has suffered from a shortage of basic goods, including medicines.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-42469225
 
Canada expels Venezuela diplomat in tit-for-tat move
25 December 2017

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Venezuela accused Mr Kowalik (left) of taking orders from the Trump administration

Canada has announced it is expelling Venezuela's ambassador to Ottawa, Wilmer Barrientos Fernández, and its charge d'affaires, Ángel Herrera.

Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said the move was in retaliation for the expulsion of its most senior diplomat from Caracas over the weekend.

Venezuela had accused Canada of meddling in its internal affairs.

Canada has criticised the government of President Nicolás Maduro over its human rights record.

More than 120 people were killed during months of anti-government protests earlier this year.

"Canadians will not stand by as the Government of Venezuela robs its people of their fundamental democratic and human rights, and denies them access to basic humanitarian assistance," said Ms Freeland in a statement.

"We will continue to work with our partners in the region to apply pressure on the anti-democratic Maduro regime and restore the rights of the Venezuelan people."

Ms Freeland said Mr Barrientos was already abroad and would not be allowed to return, while Mr Herrera had been asked to leave.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-42480986
 
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Brazil expels Venezuela's most senior diplomat

Brazil has declared Venezuela's most senior diplomat in Brazil, Gerardo Delgado, as persona non grata.

The move came days after Venezuela's decision to expel Brazil's own ambassador to Caracas, Ruy Pereira.

Explaining its decision, Venezuela said Brazil had acted illegally in impeaching its former left-wing president, Dilma Rousseff.

On Saturday, Venezuela also expelled Canada's charge d'affaires, accusing him of interfering in internal affairs.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-42489533
 
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Yet another example of Democratic Socialism.

another example of bad management

democratic socialism has been working out pretty great in scandinavian countries sans unrestricted immigration

find another dumb ass narrative please
 
another example of bad management
It must be so nice to disreguard the fallacies of a historically horrible government system as 'bad management.'

Perhaps the fact that a government has so much power over its mass population that 'bad management' can result in mass starvation and poverty, is precisely the problem.

democratic socialism has been working out pretty great in scandinavian countries sans unrestricted immigration
I'd like to hear your excuse to what happened to those scandinavian countries with unrestricted immigration in a few years.

They're having alot of problems with the Muslim refugees flooding their system.

find another dumb ass narrative please

Not neccessary, because it's dead-on accurate.
 
It must be so nice to disreguard the fallacies of a historically horrible government system as 'bad management.'

Perhaps the fact that a government has so much power over its mass population that 'bad management' can result in mass starvation and poverty, is precisely the problem.


I'd like to hear your excuse to what happened to those scandinavian countries with unrestricted immigration in a few years.

They're having alot of problems with the Muslim refugees flooding their system.

Venezuela was fucked by outright communism, not democratic socialism.


Not neccessary, because it's dead-on accurate.

Does Scandinavian countries have tight currency and prince controls? Nope.

Go elsewhere to politicize human suffering.
 
Does Scandinavian countries have tight currency and prince controls? Nope.

Go elsewhere to politicize human suffering.

Do they also have vast militaries to protect their own country and the rest of their region?

It's always humorous when leftists accuse others of 'politicizing,' when this is a geopolitical subject on a political forum.

Look at the headlines on the 1st page - Thousands of Children Starving To Death - yet you leftists never stop to question the reason of the death and suffering because the answer is incovienent to your political narriatives.

Go ahead, blame it on 'bad management.'
 
Do they also have vast militaries to protect their own country and the rest of their region?

???

It's always humorous when leftists accuse others of 'politicizing,' when this is a geopolitical subject on a political forum.

Yup, and here we discuss specific things like adults, not just throw random catch-phrases to score political points.

Look at the headlines on the 1st page - Thousands of Children Starving To Death - yet you leftists never stop to question the reason of the death and suffering because the answer is incovienent to your political narriatives.

Im actually discussing the things that have caused the problems.

Price controls.
Foreign exchange controls.

Go ahead, blame it on 'bad management.'

Nope, i blame it on the things that actually cause it.

If you want to throw memes or blame it on ambiguous things go ahead, but dont get pissed when people point out the idiocy and shallowness of people like you who relish on human suffering in order to attack your political enemies who have never, ever, proposed the policies that caused Venezuela to go full Venezuela.
 
If you want to throw memes or blame it on ambiguous things go ahead, but dont get pissed when people point out the idiocy and shallowness of people like you who relish on human suffering in order to attack your political enemies who have never, ever, proposed the policies that caused Venezuela to go full Venezuela.

Trying to use Venezuela as an example of bad European style democracy socialist system is like trying to use South Africa as an example why the democratic capitalist system doesn't work.

Now both systems have their advantages. But there is simply no denying that if you want to enable a more significant part of your population to have a better life, Europen style systems are better.
 
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