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Venezuela's capital, Caracas, has seen almost daily demonstrations in recent weeks, some of which have turned violent. Critics are accusing President Nicolas Maduro of moving towards a dictatorship, and want him to resign. But Maduro says the opposition is conspiring with foreign entities, specifically the US, to destabilise the country.
On July 30, Venezuelans were called on to choose the members of a new National Constituent Assembly that will be tasked with drafting a new constitution. President Nicolas Maduro claimed victory in the election, which he says will help save the country from political and economic disaster.
Colombia, Mexico, Peru and other nations joined the US in saying they did not recognise the results of Sunday's election. However, old allies Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua and Russia stood by Maduro. The country is in the middle of a crippling economic crisis that has led to high food prices and a lack of basic goods. Maduro says the economic crisis is due to a US-backed capitalist conspiracy.
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Rangi Guy wrote:
So skating back to the train station after work today things went wrong.....now my skateboard is at the bottom of the harbour
An enigma of a man shaped hole in the wall between reality and the soul of the devil.
Joined: Tue January 01, 2013 5:13 pm Posts: 39812 Location: 6000 feet beyond man and time.
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Venezuela would need oil to go to something like $200/ barrel in order to be solvent. Even during the boom years they overspent.
I did enjoy the economist I heard on the radio using terms like "neo-liberalism" and "austerity" as slurs, seeming to imply there's a reasonable middle way for a country in Venezuela's position.
This seems like an opportunity for the US to repair relations there. Ship food, medicine, etc. through relief organizations in neighboring countries and ask for nothing in return. But we will probably just levy more sanctions.
_________________ "The fatal flaw of all revolutionaries is that they know how to tear things down but don't have a f**king clue about how to build anything."
Joined: Tue January 01, 2013 7:41 am Posts: 19721 Location: Cumberland, RI
My wife used to work for an international law program, and when students were accepted, they had to present proof of funding or they wouldn't be officially admitted. So if they were being sponsored by their law firm (very common, especially with students from China) they'd get official documentation, or if the students were independently wealthy (many were, or they were successful lawyers looking to work in American law) they had to provide bank account information to show that they had the funds available in their account. This was a non-negotioable rule, except for students from Venezuela: the first few times students made a deposit in their account to show that they could pay for a semester abroad, the government confiscated all of their funds. There was an understanding that the students would smuggle cash into the US and pay their bills on the first day in cash so that it wouldn't get taken away.
Joined: Tue January 01, 2013 3:35 pm Posts: 32264 Location: Buenos Aires
Fucking Chavez. Fucking Maduro. I can't believe how badly they fucked over that beautiful country. I feel really badly for all my Venezuelan friends. Latin American socialism is such a cesspool of corruption.
Poor Venezuela. I been there for a few months, some years ago...we shoot a big commercial...it was a blast. People are so kind there, but at the same time you could already tell how divided the country is....i guess their actual crisis is a pretty big an difficult one because of all of the different parties involved. Hope they can pull through.
These days, the American dream is more apt to be realized in South America, in places such as Ecuador, Venezuela and Argentina, where incomes are actually more equal today than they are in the land of Horatio Alger. Who's the banana republic now?
The country is in the middle of a crippling economic crisis that has led to high food prices and a lack of basic goods. Maduro says the economic crisis is due to a US-backed capitalist conspiracy.
huh so 21st century socialism looks a lot like 20th century socialism
These days, the American dream is more apt to be realized in South America, in places such as Ecuador, Venezuela and Argentina, where incomes are actually more equal today than they are in the land of Horatio Alger. Who's the banana republic now?
So basically Bernie Sanders is what would happen if Anti-Flag were a senator.
_________________ "I want to see the whole picture--as nearly as I can. I don't want to put on the blinders of 'good and bad,' and limit my vision."-- In Dubious Battle
Opposition candidates running in Venezuela's October gubernatorial elections will be investigated to make sure none were involved in violent political protests this year, the head of a new pro-government truth commission said on Wednesday. Also before the assembly is a bill that would punish those who express "hate or intolerance" with up 25 years in jail...
"Whoever goes into the streets to express intolerance and hatred, will be captured and will be tried and punished with sentences of 15, 20, 25 years of jail," Maduro said last week...
"We have decided to ask the CNE to send a complete list of gubernatorial candidates to the truth commission in order to determine if any of the them were involved in incidents of violence," (Maduro loyalist Delcy) Rodriguez told the assembly, stressing this would have a "cleansing effect" on Venezuela.
An enigma of a man shaped hole in the wall between reality and the soul of the devil.
Joined: Tue January 01, 2013 5:13 pm Posts: 39812 Location: 6000 feet beyond man and time.
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Joined: Sun September 15, 2013 5:50 am Posts: 22323
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