Venezuela, The Starving Socialist Dystopia (Part 1)

[Rex Kwon Do]

What are the odds we see Maduro executed in the streets Gadaffi style in the near future?

 

[whougonnacall]

*Facepalm*

Let me guess. You think economies have been crashed because people weren't taxed enough, and there weren't regulations.



Which is ironic, because before Hugo Chavez, Venezuela did have a pretty good economy. Then higher taxes were set in upon the oil companies and the afluent, causing oil companies to go other areas with oil and lower taxes. Not all oil companies left, some stayed, but it's not been enough for the remaining tax revenue to cover the increased government spending for 'the masses.'

And now in recent months, the government has been in dire straights, not even being able to supply it's people with toilet paper and beer, and the President is declaring a state of emergency.

Bernie Sanders supporters love the promises of socialism, but they ignore the fact the same promises have been made over and over again to country after country over the last two centuries, and those promises are never granted. You would think that the means those promises were supposed to gain the desired results...

1. Increased taxation and regulation of 'the rich' and their corporations.
2. Increase the size of government, and control over citizens lives.
3. Control the means of production, distribution, and cost of products.

...were the entire point to begin with. Absolute power.

-again thats getting off track but yeah lack of regulation has unquestionably caused crashes

-actualy its economy was shit, another failed 3rd world shithole where a privilaged few enjoyed the fruits of the oil money and the rest can live in squalor
U cant ignore the massive jumps in the basic things that define a countries sucess under his inital rule
Bottom line he fucked up big style by betting large on oil staying in boom prices
None of the other stuff u mention would have been any better under the greedy ultra right there ..the sort of shitbags who should have been shot or jailed for life for their coup attempts on a fairly elected president

 

[Arkain2K]

Venezuelan anti-government protesters clash with police
May 18 at 2:56 PM


CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan police in riot gear clashed on Wednesday with thousands of protesters trying to reach the headquarters of the country’s electoral body to demand a referendum to recall unpopular President Nicolas Maduro.

The anti-government protest was the third in a week, and came days after the socialist president declared a state of emergency in the economically struggling country. He gave himself decree powers for 60 days.

Thousands of people turned out for the march in downtown Caracas on Wednesday, but police blocked the route. A small group tried to break through and was turned back by tear gas.

On Tuesday, opposition leader Henrique Capriles called on the country to reject the extra powers granted Maduro.

“If Maduro wants to apply this decree, he needs to start preparing tanks and war planes, because he’ll have to apply it by force,” Capriles said.

The country has seen constant small-scale protests in recent weeks against widespread water and electricity cuts.

The opposition roiled the country with bloody nationwide protests in 2014. But protests have tended to be small and peaceful since then.

A majority of the country wants Maduro out, according to national polls. Venezuelans overwhelmingly voted for the opposition in congressional elections in December, but state institutions have blocked the opposition-controlled congress from passing any legislation.

With congress unable to push through legislation, opposition leaders have begun turning their attention to the streets and the recall referendum as their best option to exert political pressure.

Opponents of the Maduro administration abroad have been asking the Organization of American States to pressure Venezuela to allow the opposition more space in the political arena. Maduro responded on Tuesday by calling OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro a tool of the CIA.

On Wednesday, Almagro responded that the claim was absurd, and said he would not be threatened.

“I am not a CIA agent. And your lie, even if it is repeated a thousand times, will never be true,” he wrote in an open letter to Maduro.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...f0184a-1d18-11e6-82c2-a7dcb313287d_story.html

 

[MadSquabbles500]

SHTF in Venezuela

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/mob-burns-venezuelan-man-alive-rule-law-fails-39217201

They burned a man alive thinking he was a mugger.

 

[mygoddotcom]

What are the odds we see Maduro executed in the streets Gadaffi style in the near future?

I would buy that PPV.... get some popcorn and smoke a big join

 

[Arkain2K]

Venezuela starts military drills to stave off ‘foreign aggression’

Venezuela has launched two-day military drills aimed at staving off what the government says are acts of foreign aggression against the Latin American country.

The drills, in which half a million troops are said to be participating, kicked off on Friday amid political and economic crises pushing the country to the edge.

The Venezuelan opposition has said it is trying to legally oust President Nicolas Maduro, whom it blames for the country’s severe economic woes.

The opposition has also called on the country’s military to clarify its position. Opposition leader Henrique Capriles has called on the army to choose whether it is “with the constitution or with Maduro.”

A series of severe economic misfortunes have turned into a political crisis in Venezuela.

The country faces critically low electricity supplies, and working days have been reduced to two days a week only amid the power shortage.

Hospitals are said to be in critical need of supplies; some medical devices are broken; and a number of hospitals are even said to be running without enough water to wash away blood from operation beds.

Maduro earlier declared a 60-day state of emergency to counter what he called a domestic and US push to topple his administration amid the economic problems.

The state of emergency has been rejected by the country’s opposition-led National Assembly.

Since 2014, Venezuela has been grappling with protests against Maduro, with the opposition vigorously pushing for a recall election.

Opponents have been calling for his removal more vociferously since last December, when the opposition gained control of the National Assembly in legislative elections.


http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/05/20/466538/Venezuela-military-drills-Maduro-economic-crisis

 

[whougonnacall]

Venezuela starts military drills to stave off ‘foreign aggression’

Venezuela has launched two-day military drills aimed at staving off what the government says are acts of foreign aggression against the Latin American country.

The drills, in which half a million troops are said to be participating, kicked off on Friday amid political and economic crises pushing the country to the edge.

The Venezuelan opposition has said it is trying to legally oust President Nicolas Maduro, whom it blames for the country’s severe economic woes.

The opposition has also called on the country’s military to clarify its position. Opposition leader Henrique Capriles has called on the army to choose whether it is “with the constitution or with Maduro.”

A series of severe economic misfortunes have turned into a political crisis in Venezuela.

The country faces critically low electricity supplies, and working days have been reduced to two days a week only amid the power shortage.

Hospitals are said to be in critical need of supplies; some medical devices are broken; and a number of hospitals are even said to be running without enough water to wash away blood from operation beds.

Maduro earlier declared a 60-day state of emergency to counter what he called a domestic and US push to topple his administration amid the economic problems.

The state of emergency has been rejected by the country’s opposition-led National Assembly.

Since 2014, Venezuela has been grappling with protests against Maduro, with the opposition vigorously pushing for a recall election.

Opponents have been calling for his removal more vociferously since last December, when the opposition gained control of the National Assembly in legislative elections.


http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2016/05/20/466538/Venezuela-military-drills-Maduro-economic-crisis

Erm wait the end part needs clarification.....so people ARE trying to remove him? The same scum who tried like 2 coups before ? Its not just paranoia?

 

[Byron Carter]

Socialist Venezuela is collapsing?

Is it fair to ask if they are "Feeling the Bern"?

 

[Space]

Erm wait the end part needs clarification.....so people ARE trying to remove him? The same scum who tried like 2 coups before ? Its not just paranoia?

Wait, so if the opposition is scum what does that make Maduro and the Chavistas at this point?

You guys are funny sometimes.

 

[whougonnacall]

Wait, so if the opposition is scum what does that make Maduro and the Chavistas at this point?

You guys are funny sometimes.

The leaser evil given they havent tried a coup..yet

 

[Arkain2K]

Venezuela’s isolation grows as Lufthansa cancels flights to Caracas​

German airline Lufthansa cancelled its flights between Germany and Venezuela over the weekend, in the latest sign of the socialist country's growing isolation and economic, social and political turmoil.

Venezuela's economy is seen shrinking 8 percent this year, with hyperinflation averaging 481.5 percent, according to the International Monetary Fund.

Lufthansa will halt the only remaining flight between Germany and Caracas from next month, the Financial Times newspaper reported on Sunday. The carrier said this reflected the country's declining economy and the difficulty of repatriating money from Venezuela due to currency controls.

Amid shortages of basic goods including food, energy and medications, the overthrow of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is viewed as increasingly likely — and the U.S. fears the consequences, given Venezuela's proximity and oil wealth. Earlier this month, U.S. intelligence officials warned on the possibility of a "palace coup," led by Maduro's associates, or a military uprising, according to media reports.

"Serious and/or widespread social unrest remains the key variable that could alter the outlook and hasten a government collapse," Nicholas Watson, senior vice president at Teneo Intelligence, said in a report on Thursday.

Venezuela is set to hold a "recall" referendum to remove Maduro, in what would be the equivalent of a popular non-confidence vote. The government is expected to try to delay the referendum until after January 10, 2017, which would mean the vice-president takes Maduro's place, rather than fresh elections being held.

"I very much hope the recall referendum will go through, but I'm not 100 percent sure about it," Carlos de Sousa, economist for Latin American macro research at Oxford Economics, told CNBC on Monday.

"I think the government is betting it can delay it enough so that if it takes place after January 10, the president resigns if they lose the referendum, which is the most likely outcome and the vice president takes power. That is the government's bet."

"I think it is going to be very difficult for the government to play that out but it is still a possibility and I don't give it a zero percent chance that the government will not be able to cling to power."

In the meantime, the country is struggling to avoid a default, with state-owned oil company, PDVSA, heavily indebted. Venezuela has said it will cut imports even further, to $20 billion this year from $37 billion in 2015, to continue paying its foreign debt.

"I think for the rest of the year it is likely to get worse, not to get better," de Sousa told CNBC.

"One reason for that is that the government has taken a decision to repay PDVSA's debt and to do that they have to cut on imports. So I think the population is bearing all the cost of paying this debt and they are going to pay this debt because they have no better choice, because the costs outweigh the benefits in the case of a default," he said.

It was announced on Monday that China was donating 96 tons of medication to help Venezuela fight its Zika virus outbreak. The Venezuelan health minister said the delivery was part of the deepening trade relationship between China and his country.

"Maduro's allies in the region are rather weak and financially unable to assist him and other forms of intervention I see as unlikely," Jimena Blanco, head of Americas at political risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft, told CNBC on Monday in London.

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/05/30/vene...-as-lufthansa-cancels-flights-to-caracas.html

 

[Arkain2K]

Latin America's largest airline flees Venezuela citing Government withholding funds

Latin America's largest airline has become the latest carrier to suspend its operations in ailing Venezuela as the cash-strapped Government withholds about $5.3 billion in funds belonging to 24 carriers.

Latam Airlines has announced "the current complex economic scenario in the region" is forcing it to end flights to Caracas.

"Latam Airlines will suspend temporarily and for an undefined time its operations to Caracas airport," the Chile-based company said.

Flights between Sao Paulo and Caracas will stop at the end of May, and those from Santiago and Lima will end in July, the company said.

It said it would work to restart operations "as soon as conditions permitted".

Many airlines now require passengers to pay fares in cash, but a deep recession and rocketing inflation has put foreign travel out of many Venezuelans' reach.

At the same time, international airlines have struggled for years to repatriate revenue held in Venezuela's local bolivar currency as the cash-strapped Government tightened exchange controls.

Over the weekend, Germany's Lufthansa also said it was halting Caracas-bound operations and was owed more than $139 million in ticket revenue.

Alitalia, Air Canada and Gol have suspended all operations there. American Airlines reinstated a route to New York in December but axed it again just three months later due to low demand. It still flies to Miami.

Others still operating include Air France, United and Iberia, which all said on Monday that they were maintaining their Caracas schedules.

International Air Transport Association chief executive officer Tony Tyler warned in March that the few remaining airlines still operating in Venezuela "may throw in the towel".

"You can sense the frustration," he said on the sidelines of an airline conference in Chilean capital Santiago.

"Some have said to us privately that they are thinking seriously about whether they can afford to keep these operations going."

Economic woes in the region have been spurring Latam Airlines to shift flights away from struggling areas like Brazil and Venezuela toward places like a still-growing Peru.

The company had already reduced flights to Caracas, and a spokesman said the just-suspended routes made up less than 1 per cent of its overall operations.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-31/latam-airlines-the-latest-to-pull-out-of-venezuela/7461330

 

[Trotsky]

The world's economies are dependent on fossil fuels. That a fact. Good luck finding an economy that'll run on solar or wind energy.

This is more of an example of a totalitarian regime fleecing it's private economy, leaving the overwhelming majority of it's citizens in poverty.

I'm sure you dispute this, but in your reply please explain how Hugo Chavez had a 9-figure net worth before he died.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...amassed-huge-fortune-countrys-oil-wealth.html

You're a moron.

Chavez's enactment of leftist policies dramatically improved poverty, education, and health in Venezuela and did so despite nefarious meddling by nearby capitalist regimes.

A poor country whose only global resource is oil is going to struggle when oil value dives.


Also, you equating Maduro to Sanders again shows your economic illiteracy.
Sanders is a Roosevelt capitalist. Maduro is a pink tide socialist.

 

[jefferz]

Well, who would have thought that a bus driver wasn't gonna be a good president??? populist fat ass son of a bitch...

The Pope was a janitor and it's working pretty well for him.

 

[Krallang]

I think the government in Venezuela is shit but I do understand basic economics and when 96-97% of your economy is based on oil exports and the price of oil falls by over 50% that's gonna fuck any country over.

 

[Space]

You're a moron.

Chavez's enactment of leftist policies dramatically improved poverty, education, and health in Venezuela and did so despite nefarious meddling by nearby capitalist regimes.

A poor country whose only global resource is oil is going to struggle when oil value dives.

 

[whougonnacall]

I think the government in Venezuela is shit but I do understand basic economics and when 96-97% of your economy is based on oil exports and the price of oil falls by over 50% that's gonna fuck any country over.

But..but..socialism etc

 

[Rod1]

But..but..socialism etc

Oil is not cheaper today than it was before Chavez got to power, and it only became the sole export when Chavez destroyed all local industry.

 

[Arkain2K]

If "running a country" simply involves the automation of pumping oil while allowing all other industries to die and churns out the same canned response about "foreign enemies" when the people complains, you can actually have a $30 microchip be the President of Venezuela.

And that microchip would probably make more friends internationally than Chavez and Maduro.

 

[JadeOwl]

Chavez's enactment of leftist policies dramatically improved poverty, education, and health in Venezuela and did so despite nefarious meddling by nearby capitalist regimes.

All of those accomplishments are worth exactly jack shit if they are not sustainable and they never were. Every positive thing Chavez did for Venezuelans was entirely dependent on the price of oil being ungodly high and are even now disappearing because they were completely asistencialist and there is no more money to pump into them.

All those dramatic improvements in poverty, education and health are even now going back to what they were when Chavez took power. One of the greatest windfalls in Venezuela's history and the Chavistas wasted or stole all of it.

The redistributive policies the US right wing nuts call socialism are effective and necessary, but they need to be supported by strong sustainable economic growth, otherwise they will colapse unto themselves and leave the people worse off. Making yourself dependent on the production of a single commodity and quite literally destroying the entire rest of the economy is the opposite is sustainable. It is not only imbecilic in the extreme, it is down right suicidal.