Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to celebrate second term as crisis deepens

[Zorro]

Source: USA Today

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro will be sworn into a second term Thursday amid international calls for him to step down and a devastating economic crisis, but with some long-time friends in attendance both from abroad and at home.

A dozen Latin American governments and Canada in a coalition have rejected the legitimacy of Maduro’s next term, and Washington has sanctioned top officials in his government, but Cuba’s President Miguel Diaz-Canel and Bolivian President Evo Morales were coming to Caracas to show their support.

And while Maduro’s popularity has plunged amid scarcities, hyperinflation and rising authoritarianism that have sparked a mass emigration, supporters who receive government subsidies in shantytowns continue to back the man who took over for the late Hugo Chavez.

“It’s not the president’s fault,” said Frances Velazquez, a 43-year-old mother of two who survives on government-subsidized boxes of rice, flour and cooking oil. Velazquez blamed opportunists who drive up the prices on scarce items making life difficult for families like hers.

Read more: https://news.yahoo.com/venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-celebrate-080723138.html

[olegramps]

1. The handiwork of two Communist nitwits. Chavis and Maduro ruined the country.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

2. Yes. Chavez destroyed democracy, allowing Maduro to steepen dive into despair. . . . nt

[Farmer-Rick]

5. NOT

[Bernardo de La Paz]

9. Your post is content-free. . . . nt

[Farmer-Rick]

3. So despite constant attacks and agitations

Despite constant funding of anti-socialist and anti-government groups in the country by greedy capitalist, Venezuela is still socialist.

Despite the constant propaganda by almost all the corporate media, Venezuela is still following it's own star.

Keep up the good fight Venezuela, maybe soon all the world will follow your socialist lead.

[Marengo]

4. I think you forgot something

[olegramps]

6. Yes, right into the dust bin of communistic disasters.

Inflation is running 1000% per year. The price of food is doubling every month. The agrarian land reform program is a complete disaster with total collapse. The nationalized telephone system is in collapse, the once thriving steel mills are all shut down, only a handful of airlines will even attempt at service, the people are starving and over 2.5 million have fled the country.

Virtually every industry is out of business. We know a young lady who is a summa mag grad studying for her doctorate who will be forced to return to this disaster or migrate to Panama as many of her family have done just to survive. She has relatives that have been forced into virtual slave labor in the country's south that are being run by criminals. It has been a magnificent success. Venezuela was one of the most successful countries in world and was a magnet for numerous multinational companies and a banking center of South America.


Schools are over half deserted, the once successful health system is devastated and only tiny elite have enough to eat. Malarial, measles and a host of diseases are rampant. Yes, the nation had serious problems brought on by the rapid decline in oil revenues. Chavis seized the opportunity and with demagoguery convinced the people that he had a solution.

Remember that Chavis was a member of the Communist Party and attempted to overthrow the government in 1992. When Chavis came to power, promising a return to the days when Venezuela when it was the richest country in South America with an economy with a GDP higher than Spain, Greece and only 13% lower than the United Kingdom. When he came to power the economy was stagnate as was many countries who had relied on oil revenues. He promised to return them to their former state with appeals that were nothing but pipe dreams. He led them into disaster, a disaster that is accelerating under his hand picked successor, Maduro. The elections are following the same scenario as those of every authoritarian state. A total sham. The citizens are begging for the United States to intervene militarily to restore order.

Social programs can be god sent for the people if properly implement and administered. Every where were they resulted in the massive nationalization of industries and services it has resulted in unmitigated disaster unless people believe that the deaths of millions of humans are a worthy sacrifice to failed promises.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

7. Venezuela is effectively Communist. Democratic capitalist socialist it is not.

Venezuela is not democratic. It is close to one party rule. Elections are corrupted and there is not a free media. Maduro was NOT elected in free election.

Venezuela is communist. It is a command-and-control economy. Prices are strictly regulated. Production is monitored and allocated centrally. Shortages are rampant. Command-and-control is not socialism.

It is not capitalistic like Scandinavia, Canada, Europe, and many places that are clearly socialist or socialist in comparison to the US.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

8. "Follow" Venezuela? Into collapse DESPITE being oil RICH? That's nuts! . . . nt

[EX500rider]

10. "Keep up the good fight Venezuela, maybe soon all the world will follow your socialist lead. "

YEA! We can all be starving soon!! lol

[Sgent]

12. I'm looking forward to the revolution!

I need to lose some weight -- and the average person in VZ lost 24lbs in 2017.

Of course I do like toilet paper... Decisions decisions.....

/sarcasm

[EX500rider]

11. "Velazquez blamed opportunists who drive up the prices on scarce items..."

Does she wonder why everyday items easy to find in every other country outside of N Korea are scarce in Venz?