Venezuela is a sign N. America should not ignore

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Venezuela is a sign N. America should not ignore

Post by voguy » 02-21-2016 08:16 PM

In Europe they say to watch your neighbor, (adjacent county), as sooner or later what happens to them will happen to you. But with a nation as large as the U.S. and Canada, it's often hard to think that what happens elsewhere will come to your turf.


Venezuela Is Out of Food: Here’s What an Economic Collapse Really Looks Like
By Daisy Luther - February 14, 2016


After several years of long lines, rationing, and shortages, the socialist country does not have enough food to feed its population, and the opposition government has declared a “nutritional emergency.” This is just the most recent nail in the beleaguered country’s slow, painful economic collapse.

Many people expect an economic collapse to be shocking, instant, and dramatic but, really, it’s far more gradual than that. It looks like empty shelves, long lines, desperate government officials trying to cover their tushes, and hungry people. For the past two years, I’ve been following the situation in Venezuela as each shocking event has unfolded. Americans who feel that our country would be better served by a socialist government would be wise to take note of this timeline of the collapse.

A quick review: Why Venezuela Is Out of Food

In 2013, many began to suspect that the outlook for Venezuela was grim when prepping became illegal. The Attorney General of Venezuela, Luisa Ortega Díaz, called on prosecutors to target people who are “hoarding” basic staples with serious sanctions.

Shortly thereafter, grocery stores instituted a fingerprint registry to purchase food and supplies. Families had to register and were allotted a certain amount of supplies to prevent “hoarding.”

Then, just over a year ago, it became even more apparent that the country was falling when long lines for basic necessities such as laundry soap, diapers, and food became the norm rather than the exception. Thousands of people were standing in line for 5-6 hours in the hopes that they would be able to purchase a few much-needed items.

Shortly after the story broke to the rest of the world, the propaganda machine shifted into high gear. As the government began to ration electricity, it was announced that this was not due to economic reasons at all, but instead was a measure of their great concern for the environment.

As the situation continued to devolve, farmers in Venezuela were forced to hand over their crops last summer. They assumed control of essential goods like food, and began putting retail outlets out of business. Then, once they had control of the sales outlets, they began forcing farmers and food manufacturers to sell anywhere from 30-100% of their products to the state at the price the state opted to pay, as opposed to stores and supermarkets.

But that wasn’t enough to keep the population fed. (Isn’t it astonishing how much less motivated people are to produce food and supplies when they are no longer allowed to benefit from their hard work? Historically, collectivism and farming have never gone successfully hand in hand.) This January, the government told citizens that they would need to produce their own food. The Ministry of Urban Farming was created to oversee this. While self-reliance sounds great, it isn’t so great in Venezuela. Just so the urban farmers don’t get too self-reliant, a registry of the crops and livestock will be required. (And obviously, they’ve already proven that they have no issue forcing farmers to hand over what they’ve produced.)

Now, it looks like all of the socialist measures and forced food production haven’t been enough to keep the people of Venezuela fed. The country is in so much trouble now that it isn’t possible to cover it up with propaganda.

According to Breitbart.com, lawmakers have learned nothing.
Socialist legislators are hoping to manipulate the initiative in the other direction, and use it to expand government control of private food enterprises. Legislator Héctor Rodríguez has insisted that the economic emergency “does absolutely nothing,” and the government should impose itself on private enterprises. Another socialist legislator, Ricardo Molina, is calling for the government to expropriate Polar, Venezuela’s largest private food corporation: “we have to intervene on private sector enterprises.”

Venezuela previously forced a Polar food distribution center in Caracas to shut down in July, putting 12,000 tons of food, six million liters of soft drinks, and 2,000 jobs at risk.
And now, the announcement of the “nutritional emergency” makes it official. Venezuela is out of food, and it’s only a matter of time before Venezuelans are quite literally starving due to a long series of terrible decisions by their leaders.

LINK TO STORY
"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." - Thomas Jefferson

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Scenes From The Venezuela Apocalypse

Post by Riddick » 05-14-2016 02:40 PM

“Countless Wounded” After 5,000 Loot Supermarket Looking For Food
As Pure Desperation Has Set In, Crime Has Becomes Inevitable
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#SHTF "State Of Emergency" Declared In Venezuela

Post by Riddick » 05-14-2016 02:53 PM

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Re: Venezuela is a sign N. America should not ignore

Post by Doka » 05-14-2016 07:07 PM

Oh Oh ! Here they are, no one knows how to take care of themselves and are out of other peoples money. AND closed down the food providers. Every thing the government touches sooner or later turns to crap. Brains and Governments simply do not mix, especially when the government folks learn how to just plain "steal" from Everyone.!


Has anyone seen the motto "In Government We Trust" ?
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Re: Venezuela is a sign N. America should not ignore

Post by voguy » 05-15-2016 06:53 AM

American citizens, take note...
LINK TO STORY

US officials concerned about possible coup in Venezuela
May 15, 2016 - The Wall Street Journal


Venezuela is descending into a deepening crisis that could end in violence, including the possibility of a coup against that country’s embattled leftist government, senior U.S. intelligence officials said Friday.

There is a “potential for real violence,” one of two officials said in a briefing with a small group of reporters. “It’s hard for me to see how this ends easily.”

The officials, who have extensive experience in the region, said that they and others in the intelligence community increasingly believe that President Nicolás Maduro could be removed from office, either in a “palace coup” led by associates close to him or in a military uprising. They said that the possibility of an overthrow or street violence is of concern to American officials, who want to avoid anarchy in an oil-rich country just a three-hour flight from Miami.

“The goal is to mitigate the crisis that they’re experiencing,” said the official. “It’s in the United States’ interest that Venezuela not bottom out.”

He said, however, that Washington’s options are limited because of Mr. Maduro’s antipathy toward the U.S., which he frequently blames for orchestrating “an economic war” designed to destabilize his government.

“The more the United States intervenes,” he said, “the more we’re the problem.”
Venezuela.jpg
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Venezuela’s information ministry and Mr. Maduro’s office didn’t respond to requests seeking comment. But the president on Friday said that he was declaring what he called a state of exception and economic emergency to deal with both the economic crisis and threats against his rule.

Mr. Maduro didn’t detail what the decree’s reach would be, but he said the decree gives him the power to repair the economy and “neutralize and defeat the external foreign aggression that has been initiated against our country.” He didn't provide evidence of threats Venezuela faces nor did he elaborate on the measures he might take with his new powers.

U.S. officials have been closely following the growing degradation in Venezuela, characterized by acute shortages of basic foods and medicines, which doctors say has caused deaths that could have been easily prevented. Rolling blackouts and electricity rationing keep much of the country in the dark for hours on end. With foreign reserves running low, imports have fallen hard.

Venezuelan government officials are concerned the discontent could lead unnamed people to move against Mr. Maduro, who has ruled for three years, the intelligence officials said.

“We’re seeing the government concerned” about an overthrow, the second intelligence official said. “They’re paranoid about the question of a coup.”

Mr. Maduro also faces the possibility of a recall referendum, which the opposition has pledged to stage, as permitted in the constitution.

The intelligence officials, though, say the president is trying to delay the validation of signatures to trigger a referendum until next year. A recall then would only remove Mr. Maduro, with the rest of his term to be finished by his vice president. If the vote takes place this year, not only would Mr. Maduro be out of a job, but new elections would be called, a far better scenario for the opposition.
"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." - Thomas Jefferson

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Venezuela Seizes GM Auto Plant

Post by Riddick » 04-21-2017 01:11 AM

General Motors said on Wednesday that Venezuelan authorities had illegally seized its plant in the industrial hub of Valencia and vowed to "take all legal actions" to defend its rights.

The seizure comes amid a deepening economic crisis in leftist-led Venezuela that has already roiled many U.S. companies.

"Yesterday, GMV's (General Motors Venezolana) plant was unexpectedly taken by the public authorities, preventing normal operations. In addition, other assets of the company, such as vehicles, have been illegally taken from its facilities," the company said in a statement.

It said the seizure would cause irreparable damage to the company, its 2,678 workers, its 79 dealers and to its suppliers.

Venezuela's Information Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for information.

FULL STORY
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CBS Blacks Out GM Factory Being Seized By Socialist Venezuela

Post by Riddick » 04-21-2017 03:38 AM

The seizure of private property belonging to a U.S. based business by a foreign and hostile government, for the benefit of said government needed to be reported - But the one network that couldn’t find time for even a simple brief on their Evening News show still managed to close out the program with a full report on a government group that breeds cheetahs, or as their reporter joked “cupid for cheetahs.” FULL STORY
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How Venezuela’s Corrupt Socialists Are Looting The Country To Death

Post by Riddick » 05-11-2017 12:25 AM

Venezuela is no longer a country with a government, institutions and a civil society. It’s a geographic area terrorized by a criminal enterprise that pretends to govern, with a civil society made up of two sets of people: accomplices and victims. More than 30 million of the latter.

And the pillaging has turned Venezuela into a dystopian landscape. There are shortages of every imaginable foodstuff and basic necessity; diseases once thought eradicated are back with a vengeance; and a crime wave that has given Caracas the highest murder rate in the world.

Meanwhile, those in power can focus on what they do best: looting the country’s wealth via fraudulent government contracts, bribery, phantom payrolls, bogus government grant programs, the sacking of Venezuela’s gold reserves and a massive currency exchange scam.

Since the Hugo Chavez-led looting spree began in 2000, more than $1 trillion has disappeared and a staggering amount has ended up in bank accounts in Andorra, Panama, New York, Hong Kong and Switzerland.

How did it come to this? Venezuela’s woes begin and end with a complete breakdown in the rule of law. From the presidency to the lowest civil servant, being “on the take” went from scandalous to a way of life.

Furthermore, the government does little to stop the disorder. The more chaos there is, the less President Nicolas Maduro needs to worry about antigovernment protests or marches in Venezuela, a country rotting from the top.

FULL STORY
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Re: How Venezuela’s Corrupt Socialists Are Looting The Country To Death

Post by kbot » 05-11-2017 11:23 AM

Riddick wrote: How did it come to this? Venezuela’s woes begin and end with a complete breakdown in the rule of law. From the presidency to the lowest civil servant, being “on the take” went from scandalous to a way of life. FULL STORY
This appears to be a hallmark of many "non-capitalist" countries......
There you go man, keep as cool as you can. Face piles and piles of trials with smiles. It riles them to believe that you perceive the web they weave. And keep on thinking free. (Moody Blues)

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Re: How Venezuela’s Corrupt Socialists Are Looting The Country To Death

Post by Riddick » 05-12-2017 04:41 AM

kbot wrote:
Riddick wrote: How did it come to this? Venezuela’s woes begin and end with a complete breakdown in the rule of law. From the presidency to the lowest civil servant, being “on the take” went from scandalous to a way of life. FULL STORY
This appears to be a hallmark of many "non-capitalist" countries......
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Pressure Grows On Military As Venezuela’s Governing Crisis Worsens

Post by Riddick » 06-09-2017 11:59 PM

Analysts point to increased pressure on Venezuela’s military and a growing rift between President Nicolas Maduro and his chief prosecutor as new challenges confronting the president as he tries to centralize his power amid worsening street protests and violence.

They say while the ability of Venezuela’s Latin American neighbors to influence Maduro’s decisions is very limited, U.S. sanctions on the state-owned oil industry could represent the most leverage any outside power could have.

“The situation is spiraling out of control,” said Michael McCarthy, a research fellow with the Center for Latin American & Latino Studies.

In a recent blog post, McCarthy wrote that Maduro was in “raw survival mode,” and his attempt to rewrite the nation’s constitution constituted a move “toward outright dictatorship.”

“I don’t think Venezuelan politics has ever been as uncertain as they are today,” McCarthy said in an interview.

“Any process that Maduro tries to roll out in terms of centralizing his authority is going to take some give-and-take and negotiation with the military.”

Pointing to recent reports that the government’s chief prosecutor, Luisa Ortega Diaz, has called on the Supreme Court to reject a re-write of the constitution, McCarthy said her loyalty to the Maduro regime is now in question.

But it’s unclear whether her intention is to lend legitimacy to the Maduro’s opponents, pursue her own political ambitions, or make a statement of conscience, McCarthy said.

“She’s been the true celebrity of this 70-day long political rebellion,” he commented.

“There is definitely a confrontation within the government, but we have to see how this plays out in the coming months,” said Reggie Thompson, a Latin America Analyst with the private security consultancy Stratfor.

Ortega Diaz was appointed by Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chavez, and she has the allegiance of retired military personnel, Thompson noted.

There are signs the military is growing uncomfortable with the government’s response to the street protests.

Thompson said there’s no open confrontation between Maduro and the defense minister but unquestioning support by the military for the government is in doubt.

He pointed to a reported call by Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez for the national guard to stop committing atrocities against protestors.

“The defense minister is trying to tone down the use of force against protestors,” Thompson said.

“It could be he is afraid the violence is going to escalate and attract the interest of the international community which would result in sanctions by the U.S. for human rights violations.”

FULL STORY
A mind should not be so open that the brains fall out; however, it should not be so closed that whatever gray matter which does reside may not be reached. ART BELL

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