Government organized looting in Venezuela.

[The Serbian Empire]

Maduro's gonna need more Daka to shoot down those prices below the black market's!

[Mike the Progressive]

It is indeed full pants-on-head retarded, but I'd still rather go Venezuela than Paraguay, Nicaragua, El Salvador or Dominican Republic, some of the American-supported reactionary right-leaning countries here. By far. Actually I'd still prefer Venezuela over Mexico or Chile (though cultural reasons influence these).

Well that's stupid. I mean are you so blinded by some absurd anti-Yankee sentiment that you can't even see what Venezuela really is?

[Hetalian Indie Rio de Janeiro]

Well that's stupid. I mean are you so blinded by some absurd anti-Yankee sentiment that you can't even see what Venezuela really is?

The description someone gave me of it in 2010-2011 is probably different from its state right now... But yes, it seemed better or not significantly worse than a shitton of other Latin American countries.

[Herskerstad]

Well that's stupid. I mean are you so blinded by some absurd anti-Yankee sentiment that you can't even see what Venezuela really is?

The description someone gave me of it in 2010-2011 is probably different from its state right now... But yes, it seemed better or not significantly worse than a shitton of other Latin American countries.

That's...... not really a high standard.

Right now though, in recent years Venezuela has fallen to the level of Colombia in certain economic factors, and they are falling much faster. Having champagne-socialists on the top who wants to prove their revolutionary side by absolutely fucking up the economy is not going to help, and much like the 'gold curse', there is no better example of an oil curse than Venezuela. Incredibly inefficient, inflation prone state-run handling that actively attempts to avoid the market it's competing in for friendly favors, undercutting investment and relying too strongly on a substance they effectively subsidize nationally and internationally. An upper-class which is more and more getting monopolized by government officials intend on solving poverty at home first. Now effectively waging a war against private enterprise to absorb yet more into the bloated sham of a government they have, effectively collectivizing for personal profit which by any definition is thievery. While Chavez spent the better part of a decade getting Venezuela on this track, his successor is doing pretty much what every US 'evil capitalist' would do, which is ensuring a high-gear movement towards either imposing dictatorial means to win an election, or losing, as there is no way in hell any sane populace would re-elect this buffoon. I've for a long, long time been skeptical of the Venezuelan 'mediocrity white-washers' on NS who have painted Venezuela as a troubled, but mostly upstanding nation when it is clear that the situation has become less tenet-able for a while now, thanks be primarily to the rampant inflation which is now affecting grocery prices beyond the means of what the government can subsidize, and in a nation with that many poor, shit is about to break lose if it even manages to sustain itself long enough until the next election.

I predict there will be a state of emergency enacted dodging the election, a rightist purge by the judiciary and more social uproar to follow.

[Quintium]

Good old Venezuela. Not a year ago, some socialists were telling me how Venezuela was an example of what they wanted to do in a country. And look at it now. Shortages of all kinds of products and even electricity, looting, crime - if that's your perfect socialist state, give me a capitalist one.

[New Acardia]

Typical of socialist governments.
Stealing from others in order to mantiane power

[Gauthier]

Good old Venezuela. Not a year ago, some socialists were telling me how Venezuela was an example of what they wanted to do in a country. And look at it now. Shortages of all kinds of products and even electricity, looting, crime - if that's your perfect socialist state, give me a capitalist one.

People actually believed Hugo Chavez was a socialist?

[Nervium]

Well Maduro, this is bad mkay.

[Gallup]

This is what happens in Socialist dictatorships.

[Quintium]

Good old Venezuela. Not a year ago, some socialists were telling me how Venezuela was an example of what they wanted to do in a country. And look at it now. Shortages of all kinds of products and even electricity, looting, crime - if that's your perfect socialist state, give me a capitalist one.

People actually believed Hugo Chavez was a socialist?

In this particular damned corner of Europe, yes.

[Quintium]

Typical of socialist governments.
Stealing from others in order to mantiane power

Exactly. It's a characteristic of nearly all governments that call themselves socialist. Their idea of 'redistribution' is fascinating. They steal from all wealthy people who are not part of the ruling party, and hand out what they've stolen to the groups in society that can help them stay in power, no matter how much damage that does to the economy. That's how Chavez managed to pull it off - steal, favour friends, steal, favour friends. This would have happened if he was still in charge - in fact, it started happening when he was in charge. The government of Venezuela has reached a point where it has run out of other people's money.

[Ursymnia]

This sounds like south America

[Estado Paulista]

"B-but...Camarada Maduro...hue.."

[Estado Paulista]

Meh, Chavez was crazy but cunning. He got some good shit done.

Yep.

He destroyed Venezuela's economy.

[Estado Paulista]

Poverty did decrease.

Poverty was reduced in other South American countries as well. Compared to Chile or Peru, Venezuela wasn't that good.

[Estado Paulista]

Now, on Venezuela. Venezuela is a classic latin american story, populists running wild and ruining a nation that could be very very rich. Venezuela is Argentina 2.0, Argentina was at one time one of the wealthiest countries on earth and blew it all because of lousy statesmanship, and it´s a real shame too since it could be (and was) so much more. The only thing im surprised is Maduro not pulling a "falklands" to try and prop up his failing regime....

Oh my God, this so goddamn much.

[Estado Paulista]

It is indeed full pants-on-head retarded, but I'd still rather go Venezuela than Paraguay, Nicaragua, El Salvador or Dominican Republic, some of the American-supported reactionary right-leaning countries here. By far. Actually I'd still prefer Venezuela over Mexico or Chile (though cultural reasons influence these).

So you prefer a country in collapse rather than countries that are an example to Latin America, like Chile and Mexico?

Suit yourself.

Well that's stupid. I mean are you so blinded by some absurd anti-Yankee sentiment that you can't even see what Venezuela really is?

Welcome to South America.

hue

[Ursymnia]

Hue

[Greed and Death]

Typical of socialist governments.
Stealing from others in order to mantiane power

Exactly. It's a characteristic of nearly all governments that call themselves socialist. Their idea of 'redistribution' is fascinating. They steal from all wealthy people who are not part of the ruling party, and hand out what they've stolen to the groups in society that can help them stay in power, no matter how much damage that does to the economy. That's how Chavez managed to pull it off - steal, favour friends, steal, favour friends. This would have happened if he was still in charge - in fact, it started happening when he was in charge. The government of Venezuela has reached a point where it has run out of other people's money.

I knew the US should have put its weight behind the attempted coup. Now it is likely too late.

[Geilinor]

It is indeed full pants-on-head retarded, but I'd still rather go Venezuela than Paraguay, Nicaragua, El Salvador or Dominican Republic, some of the American-supported reactionary right-leaning countries here. By far. Actually I'd still prefer Venezuela over Mexico or Chile (though cultural reasons influence these).

Well that's stupid. I mean are you so blinded by some absurd anti-Yankee sentiment that you can't even see what Venezuela really is?

Compared to a country like Paraguay or Nicaragua, Venezuela's still better. I don't know what's worse about Mexico or Chile though.

[Estado Paulista]

I knew the US should have put its weight behind the attempted coup. Now it is likely too late.

Thanks Obama!

[Gauthier]

Exactly. It's a characteristic of nearly all governments that call themselves socialist. Their idea of 'redistribution' is fascinating. They steal from all wealthy people who are not part of the ruling party, and hand out what they've stolen to the groups in society that can help them stay in power, no matter how much damage that does to the economy. That's how Chavez managed to pull it off - steal, favour friends, steal, favour friends. This would have happened if he was still in charge - in fact, it started happening when he was in charge. The government of Venezuela has reached a point where it has run out of other people's money.

I knew the US should have put its weight behind the attempted coup. Now it is likely too late.

It just couldn't find anyone Pinochet enough to its liking.

[Greed and Death]

I knew the US should have put its weight behind the attempted coup. Now it is likely too late.

It just couldn't find anyone Pinochet enough to its liking.

At least the trains ran on time under Pinochet

[Estado Paulista]

It just couldn't find anyone Pinochet enough to its liking.

Pinochet > Chavez/Maduro

[Nervium]

It just couldn't find anyone Pinochet enough to its liking.

At least the trains ran on time under Pinochet

At least Pinochet died, one favour he did to the world.