Venezuela heads toward disaster

[redrumloa]

http://www.miamiherald.com/454/story/14 ... ni_popular

What little is left of Venezuela's democracy has taken a literal beating from President Hugo Chávez's uniformed goon squads -- again.

Police used a variety of weapons, from water cannons to plastic bullets, last week to disperse hundreds of student protesters who refuse to knuckle under to an increasingly desperate and unpopular president determined to remain in power at all costs.

While the president and his followers were celebrating the anniversary of the failed 1992 coup that first brought him to national attention, the students were protesting the deterioration of their country. It wasn't the first time that Mr. Chávez has resorted to force to quell peaceful political opponents, but the frustration level inside the country is rising as Venezuela's political and economic situation goes from bad to worse.

Rolling blackouts, currency devaluation and price inflation (the worst in Latin America), water shortages and scarce commodities -- this is what 11 years of a Chávez presidency have produced.

The hero of the American left and the model government at least 1 Whyzzat member, eh? What a farce.

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

The hero of the American left and the model government at least 1 Whyzzat member, eh? What a farce.

1) The US oil companies are annoyed that they have lost contracts and the Chinese are getting them.

2) Constant interference and undermining from this US and wealthy Venezuelans. It's not like this doesn't happen to other South American countries. When governments aren't total US lackeys bad things happen. They couldn't coup Chavez so they have to chip away at the economy. However, it's generally worse when the US IS in control. Death squads anyone?

3) Economic success measurements differ depending on what governments want to measure. The US is out of recession but only if you are in the investing classes - people who have to work for a living and are paying off debts aren't out of recession, but then again, they don't count.