Things not going well in Venezuela

[Parliament 14599]

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/venezuela/article206950449.html

 

At 16, Liliana has become the mother figure for a gang of Venezuelan children and young adults called the Chacao, named after the neighborhood they’ve claimed as their territory. The 15 members, ranging in age from 10 to 23, work together to survive vicious fights for “quality” garbage in crumbling, shortage-plagued Venezuela. Their weapons are knives and sticks and machetes. The prize? Garbage that contains food good enough to eat.

 

 

[Auto Driller 2567]

It’s really incredible how quickly Venezuela has become this bad. Terrible for the citizens. Seems like a military coup is probably coming in the near future, if not a civil war.

[Parliament 14599]

2 minutes ago, Auto Driller said:

It’s really incredible how quickly Venezuela has become this bad. Terrible for the citizens. Seems like a military coup is probably coming in the near future, if not a civil war.

Why not both?

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

Maduro needs to eat a bullet.  Hopefully there isn't another shithead right behind him when he finally gets what is coming to him.  Hopefully by the people rising up.

[Guitarman 29]

Quite a diaspora of wealthy and educated Venezuelans have been flooding the Katy area for a few years. The brain drain is bad for that country. For us, we get beautiful women.

[Patricio Swayze 17058]

2 minutes ago, Guitarman said:

Quite a diaspora of wealthy and educated Venezuelans have been flooding the Katy area for a few years. The brain drain is bad for that country. For us, we get beautiful women.

Yep.  I have worked with a ton.  Typically nice and educated folks.  Damn shame about their country.

[swraith 348]

So does Venezuela become a failed state?  Does the military rule long term post a coup?  With the conditions being so bad, why has action not occurred against Maduro?

[Bort 9]

We need to open our borders up to Venezuelan women. For 'humanitarian' reasons. 

[CooterBrown 18289]

1 hour ago, Bort said:

We need to open our borders up to Venezuelan women. For 'humanitarian' reasons. 

Last time I went to Aruba a lot of the wait staff were smoking Venezuelan women. One said they could easily get a 3-year work permit there so she, and probably all of them, was trying to wait it out. 

[hornimal 80]

2 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

Last time I went to Aruba a lot of the wait staff were smoking Venezuelan women. One said they could easily get a 3-year work permit there so she, and probably all of them, was trying to wait it out. 

if that were the case the entire island would sink from the weight of all the venezuelans rushing there.  dealing with DIMAS is no different than dealing with USCIS.

[CooterBrown 18289]

Just now, hornimal said:

if that were the case the entire island would sink from the weight of all the venezuelans rushing there.  dealing with DIMAS is no different than dealing with USCIS.

There were a limited number of permits from my understanding so I'm sure the dude handing them out requested photos of tites or GTFO.

 

[Modessit 5667]

17 hours ago, Parliament said:

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/venezuela/article206950449.html

 

At 16, Liliana has become the mother figure for a gang of Venezuelan children and young adults called the Chacao, named after the neighborhood they’ve claimed as their territory. The 15 members, ranging in age from 10 to 23, work together to survive vicious fights for “quality” garbage in crumbling, shortage-plagued Venezuela. Their weapons are knives and sticks and machetes. The prize? Garbage that contains food good enough to eat.

 

 

[hornimal 80]

maduro suspends commercial ties with panama

lost frequent flyer miles will be made up by tankers now having to go around south america to reach china.

[Ldogg53 514]

maduro suspends commercial ties with panama
lost frequent flyer miles will be made up by tankers now having to go around south america to reach china.

Holy fuck. This guy keeps making things worse.

Are you still going there regularly? Any direct experiences to share?

[bernorange 8385]

Are they imploding yet?  It sounds like they are imploding...

Quote

...
Maduro faces a May 20 election with support from only about a fifth of the population and he is turning over swathes of the economy to the 160,000-member military, the strongest power in a failing state. Active and retired officers hold 14 of 32 cabinet posts. Soldiers have replaced many of the 80 state oil company leaders whom Maduro has imprisoned since August. The ports have been militarized and the Defense Ministry oversees the hungry nation’s food supply.
...

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-04-09/the-bloody-grab-for-gold-in-venezuela-s-most-dangerous-town

[Neonmoon 38130]

Governing by Military Force usually works out...

[Grippe 323]

1 hour ago, Neonmoon said:

Governing by [corrupt, socialist] Military Force usually works out...

fify

[PittsburghTiger 6349]

Despite the death of the clan's charismatic leader last month, the Chavez family nevertheless continue to hold sway as the ruling Socialist Party seeks to continue the Revolution that "El Comandante" started 14 years ago. 

Nicolas Maduro, the 51-year-old former bus driver who Chavez designated as his successor, opened his campaign with a televised interview flanked by prominent members of Clan Chavez, who gave their all-important blessing to his candidacy. 

"The family is here with you", proclaimed eldest son Adan, who is the governor of Barinas state. "Nicolas Maduro can be ratified before the Venezuelan people and continue the Bolivarian revolution". 

If Mr Maduro, as polls predict, wins Sunday's election, the Chavez family, which has members spread throughout all branches of the Venezuelan government, is unlikely to be called to account for its conspicuous affluence any time soon. 

The second of seven children, Hugo Chavez's stellar career brought fame and power to his family. His father, a former schoolteacher, served three terms as Barinas state governor, before turning to real estate development. Another brother, Argenis Chavez, is Venezuela's energy minister. 

The impoverished region was showered with government-funded social projects, which explains why many poorer residents still support the Chavez family, despite the allegations of corruption and the food shortages that leave three-hour queues at the supermarket for basic provisions. 

"We are very pleased with the Chavez family, they have done great things in our state", said Leonardo Osoyardo, a 33-year-old 'Chavista' who works in one of the state's social projects. "Everyone in Barinas is content with them". 

That is not exactly true. 

"Barinas is the worst state in Venezuela, and it's the fault of the Chavez family", said José Vitriago, a 56-year-old street kiosk vendor who voted for Chavez in all three of his presidential campaigns. 

"It's pure corruption, and Hugo Chavez allowed it all happen. 

"They take the money that's intended to help the people, and they put it in their own pockets. They're buying country estates and apartments in the United States while we have nothing".

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/venezuela/9993238/Venezuela-the-wealth-of-Chavez-family-exposed.html

[PittsburghTiger 6349]

16 hours ago, hornimal said:

maduro suspends commercial ties with panama

lost frequent flyer miles will be made up by tankers now having to go around south america to reach china.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-panama-venezuela/venezuela-president-lands-on-panamas-high-risk-money-laundering-list-idUSKBN1H61ST

PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro along with more than 50 Venezuelan nationals are considered “high risk” for laundering money and financing terrorism, according to an advisory issued by Panama’s economy and finance ministry.

Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab and electoral board president Tibisay Lucena were also named in the advisory along with Socialist Party No. 2 Diosdado Cabello, the elder brother of late president Hugo Chavez, and 16 firms in Venezuela. 

 

The economy and finance ministry’s National Commission Against Money Laundering released the list late on Thursday, following its initial announcement on Tuesday. 

 

Maduro’s socialist government has repeatedly vowed to combat corruption that has plagued Venezuela and its oil industry for decades, contributing to its devastating economic collapse.

[Fudge Nuggets 19465]

On 3/28/2018 at 11:26 AM, Bort said:

We need to open our borders up to Venezuelan women. For 'humanitarian' reasons. 

And bad ass middle infielders

 

 

[hornimal 80]

15 hours ago, Ldogg53 said:

Any direct experiences to share?

if you ever find yourself talking to a resident with a venezuelan accent at "campo alegre" in curaçao and she tells you she's a dentist/doctor/attorney/engineer, she's actually telling the truth.

 

one of the COPA flights arrives in maiquetia at 3am, at some point during the night they cut the power to the landside escalators and elevators, if you are arriving with checked luggage you are forced to hire a baggage handler to help you move your shit downstairs to where the hotel shuttles come to scoop up their guests.  I used to tip them in Bs, but now it's impossible to carry enough cash.  the first time I tipped one guy $5 he started crying from excitement I had to tell him to keep it cool as to not draw too much attention to himself.  for many that's nearly one month's wage.

[Lhorn 5097]

On April 10, 2018 at 8:47 AM, Fudge Nuggets said:

And bad ass middle infielders

 

 

You're got damn right

[PappyVanVinceYoung 85]

https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Venezuelas-Oil-Production-Falls-Further-No-Turnaround-In-Sight.html

Quote

In today’s Monthly Oil Market Report published by OPEC, according to secondary sources, Venezuela’s production fell by 55,000 barrels per day in March, to 1.488 million bpd. According to the report, Venezuela’s self-reported production fell by a greater amount—77,000 bpd, from 1.586 million bpd in February to 1.509 million bpd in March.

Analyst consensus is that Venezuela is unlikely to pull out of this tailspin. In fact, Venezuela’s position is likely to worsen, with Venezuelan refineries expected to close as crude shortages and underinvestment continue to bite, according to S&P Global Platts.

On paper, Venezuela boasts proven reserves of 301 billion barrels, although that figure arguably contains oil that cannot reasonably be extracted, and much of it is of a heavy variety that requires finagling with diluents to pump and move through pipelines. But how much oil Venezuela truly has and how much of it is extractable is moot—at least for now—while the country flounders with starving people, a corrupt regime, and failing infrastructure.

 

[PilotsError 2337]

Venezuelan security forces have carried out hundreds of arbitrary killings under the guise of fighting crime, the UN's human rights body says.

In a report, it cites "shocking" accounts of young men being killed during operations, often in poor districts, over the past three years.

The UN's human rights chief said no-one was being held to account, suggesting the rule of law was "virtually absent".

Venezuela has in the past dismissed human rights allegations as "lies".

The country is going through a protracted political and economic crisis.

What is at the root of the crisis?

Venezuela has the world's largest proven oil reserves. When socialist President Hugo Chávez was in power, from 1999 until his death in 2013, he used oil money to finance social programmes.

But the opposition says much of the income was lost to mismanagement, patronage, and corruption.

Critics accuse Mr Chavez's successor, President Nicolás Maduro, of using increasingly authoritarian tactics as the economy collapsed, prompting hundreds of thousands of people to flee abroad.

Last year dozens of protesters were killed in clashes during protests against hyperinflation and food shortages.

Mr Maduro was re-elected in May, in a poll boycotted by the opposition and criticised by the UN and other international bodies.

• Venezuela crisis: How did we get here?
• Venezuelans contemplate their future

Image copyrightAFP Image captionNicolás Maduro recently won a second six-year term in office

What does the report say?

The UN Human Rights Office alleges that extra-judicial killings were carried out by officers involved with the Operations for the Liberation of the People, ostensibly a crime-reduction initiative.

These officers may have killed more than 500 people since July 2015 as a way to showcase crime-reduction results, it says. They are alleged to have faked evidence to make it look as though the victims died in exchanges of fire.

• Where a coffee costs wads of banknotes
• Why mums-to-be are fleeing Venezuela

UN investigators have been denied access to Venezuela. They made their findings from interviews with about 150 witnesses and victims contacted through "internet-based technologies", the report says.

A number of interview with exiles were also held in Geneva, it adds. Some of the other evidence comes from former Attorney General Luisa Ortega. She was fired by Mr Maduro last year and went into exile.

The report says that under her replacement, investigations into allegations of abuses have virtually stopped.

Case study: 'He was human, not a dog'

The grandmother of a man killed during an operation in March 2018 told UN investigators that 50 officers had broken into their home, all of them dressed in black with a skull symbol on their jackets.

"They woke my 23-year-old grandson up, handcuffed him with plastic ties and took him out," she said. After a few minutes, the family heard gunshots. When they went downstairs to see what had happened, they were ordered back inside.

"Later, the forensic doctor told me that he had died of two gunshots to the chest and that he had been severely hit on the head.

"The police report mentioned that my grandson was carrying a gun and that he had opened fire against security forces, which is a lie. I want justice, he was a human being, not a dog."

Impunity

Katy Watson, BBC South America correspondent

Reports of extrajudicial killings are worrying yet not surprising. The crackdown from government forces during last year's protests brought international criticism, and impunity is so prevalent that people fear for their safety every day, especially in big cities such as the capital Caracas.

The government's reaction to such criticism is also predictable - it either denies the problems exist, or blames the US.

Yet the problems don't go away. They just get worse.

I was in Venezuela for the elections last month and everybody recounted stories of not being able to get enough food or access medicines - they say it's a situation that's become impossible. Those who can leave.

Did the UN mention the country's economic problems?

Yes. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, accused Venezuela of failing to acknowledge the depth of its crisis.

"When a box of hypertension pills costs more than the monthly minimum wage and baby milk formula more than two months' salary, but protesting against such an impossible situation can land you in jail, the extreme injustice of it all is stark," he added.

Mr Hussein suggested the International Criminal Court could become involved.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-44575599

[PilotsError 2337]

Also, from a few years ago.

 

 

Venezuela bans private gun ownership

• 1 June 2012

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Venezuela has brought a new gun law into effect which bans the commercial sale of firearms and ammunition.

Until now, anyone with a gun permit could buy arms from a private company.

Under the new law, only the army, police and certain groups like security companies will be able to buy arms from the state-owned weapons manufacturer and importer.

The ban is the latest attempt by the government to improve security and cut crime ahead of elections in October

Venezuela saw more than 18,000 murders last year and the capital, Caracas, is thought to be one of the most dangerous cities in Latin America.

'Must do more'

The government has been running a gun amnesty in the run-up to the introduction of the new law to try to encourage people to give up their illegal arms without fear of consequences.

Analysis

By Sarah GraingerBBC News, Caracas

Besides the health of President Chavez, security is the main concern for voters ahead of presidential elections in October.

While voters don't seem to hold Mr Chavez responsible for the insecurity, the situation has worsened throughout his 13 years in office.

The government's most recent statistics put the murder rate at around 48 per 100,000, although some non-governmental organisations estimate it's much higher - 60 per 100,000 in 2011, one of the highest rates in the world.

Critics say the new gun laws and other recently announced measures, like a victim's compensation fund, are just the latest in a long line of failed attempts to bolster security.

One member of the public in Caracas told the BBC: "They're killing people every day. This law is important but they need to do more, they're not doing enough now."

Hugo Chavez's government says the ultimate aim is to disarm all civilians, but his opponents say the police and government may not have the capacity or the will to enforce the new law.

Criminal violence is set to be a major issue in presidential elections later in the year.

Campaign group The Venezuela Violence Observatory said last year that violence has risen steadily since Mr Chavez took office in 1999.

Several Latin American countries have murder rates far higher than the global average of 6.9 murders per 100,000 people.

According to a recent United Nations report , South America, Central America and the Caribbean have the highest rates of murder by firearms in the world.

It found that over 70% of all homicides in South America are as a results of guns - in Western Europe, the figure was closer to 25%.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-18288430

[phdhorn 6225]

Shithole country gonna shithole country...

[Thetexashammer 1062]

Relax people. They raised the minimum wage to force the evil capitalists to stop hoarding all the money.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-economy/venezuela-raises-minimum-wage-40-percent-stoking-worlds-fastest-inflation-idUSKBN1EP0K3

Well maybe it didn't work so they raised it again months later.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-economy/venezuela-raises-minimum-wage-40-percent-stoking-worlds-fastest-inflation-idUSKBN1EP0K3

Raised it in 2016 too.

http://money.cnn.com/2016/10/27/news/economy/venezuela-minimum-wage-hike/index.html

 

Bernie Sanders must be really confused.

[Smax 3800]

Socialism works!

[woohorn 1131]

Venezuela’s Maduro Orders 3,500 Percent Increase in Minimum Wage … 40 Percent of Businesses Close

[Dennis Taylor 19369]

6 hours ago, woohorn said:

Venezuela’s Maduro Orders 3,500 Percent Increase in Minimum Wage … 40 Percent of Businesses Close
 

 

[InkaUtexas 26920]

Yet meanwhile he can go and do this. 

Video of Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro eating in an upscale steak restaurant in Turkey has caused outrage in crisis-hit Venezuela.

The images show Turkish celebrity chef Nusret Gokce carving meat in front of the president and his wife, Cilia Flores, at Gokce's Nusr-Et restaurant in Istanbul.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-45559504

[bernorange 8385]

From last week:

Quote

China agreed to extend a $5 billion credit line to cash-strapped Venezuela, said the Venezuelan finance minister, as President Nicolas Maduro headed to Beijing.

Minister Simon Zerpa told Bloomberg News that Venezuela would pay back the loan with either cash or oil. The countries were expected to sign what Zerpa described as a strategic alliance on gold mining.
...

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-09-13/china-to-give-venezuela-5-billion-loan-as-maduro-visits-beijing

A "strategic alliance on gold mining"?

[Trey3216 15452]

2 minutes ago, bernorange said:

From last week:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-09-13/china-to-give-venezuela-5-billion-loan-as-maduro-visits-beijing

A "strategic alliance on gold mining"?

So...you no pay your loans, we take-a your gold???

Edited September 18, 2018 by Trey3216

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19307]

4 hours ago, bernorange said:

From last week:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-09-13/china-to-give-venezuela-5-billion-loan-as-maduro-visits-beijing

A "strategic alliance on gold mining"?

They are just going to pay it back with Oil.  This will be very interesting.  

[Bevo 13900]

8 hours ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

They are just going to pay it back with Oil.  This will be very interesting.  

Not really. Venezuela will default. The government will eventually fall. And the new Venezuelan government will not honor the debt/agreement between Maduro and China.

It would be a bad investment for the US if the US were to enter into such an agreement because the US would forgive the debt. However, China may be a different story: I don't know how China will react when Venezuela defaults on its loans.

[Brisketexan 106952]

Not really. Venezuela will default. The government will eventually fall. And the new Venezuelan government will not honor the debt/agreement between Maduro and China.
It would be a bad investment for the US if the US were to enter into such an agreement because the US would forgive the debt. However, China may be a different story: I don't know how China will react when Venezuela defaults on its loans.

Probably involves peepee and coke.

[NotActuallyALonghorn 5005]

This isn't some joke.

[Parliament 14599]

35 minutes ago, Bevo said:

Not really. Venezuela will default. The government will eventually fall. And the new Venezuelan government will not honor the debt/agreement between Maduro and China.

It would be a bad investment for the US if the US were to enter into such an agreement because the US would forgive the debt. However, China may be a different story: I don't know how China will react when Venezuela defaults on its loans.

They're doing similar things with "economically fragile" countries in Afric and Eastern Europe.  When they inevitably miss payments, China's gonna get their assets or something.  They know they won't be able to pay.

[Neonmoon 38130]

1 minute ago, Parliament said:

They're doing similar things with "economically fragile" countries in Afric and Eastern Europe.  When they inevitably miss payments, China's gonna get their assets or something.  They know they won't be able to pay.

China is the Payday Loan company of the international community?

[Parliament 14599]

Pretty much.

[Panama Red 63]

Maybe we need to send some mercs down to Venezuela to “take care” of a few high profile people and get the country headed in the right direction.

[midtown 3355]

That place is a mess.  Wasn't Caracas once considered the jewel of the South America?

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

5 minutes ago, Panama Red said:

Maybe we need to send some mercs down to Venezuela to “take care” of a few high profile people and get the country headed in the right direction.

We've been doing that for decades.  Part of the problem revolves around your definition of the right direction, beyond the whole assassination thingy.

[Dennis Taylor 19369]

1 hour ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

We've been doing that for decades.  Part of the problem revolves around your definition of the right direction, beyond the whole assassination thingy.

well it couldn't be any worse than the left direction  

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

29 minutes ago, Dennis Taylor said:

well it couldn't be any worse than the left direction  

Well, you could argue that the reason there so fucked up and left leaning now is all the shit we pulled in the 50's and 60's in S. America, but yeah if I have my druthers they're more capitalistic gov'ts.

[MissingInAction 25563]

Do you even Pinochet, bro?

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

4 hours ago, MissingInAction said:

Do you even Pinochet, bro?

Pinochet was a mafioso gov't .............. with uniforms

[MissingInAction 25563]

Exactly like "law enforcement" here in the good ole 'Merica.

[Parliament 14599]

8 hours ago, MissingInAction said:

Exactly like "law enforcement" here in the good ole 'Merica.

Take that crap to the Cloak Room.

[Neonmoon 38130]

Has there been a country that was a complete dumpster fire in the modern era turn it around to a place you would feel safe to visit?

Colombia maybe?