Venezuela: All you need to know about the crisis in seven charts

[HumblePi]

I thought I would start this thread for two purposes, to give everyone some valuable insight into the crisis in Venezuela and also to try to explain why Venezuela is the real crisis south of our U.S. border. It's not illegal caravans coming from Honduras or Nicaragua, it's Venezuela.

This article by the BBC is a must read for anyone who wants to understand the 'why, where and how' this is a vitally important issue and why it should matter to everyone, not only the U.S.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-46999668

Venezuela: All you need to know about the crisis in seven charts

Growing discontent in Venezuela, fuelled by hyperinflation, power cuts and food and medicine shortages, has led to a political crisis.

Opposition leader Juan Guaidó has declared himself interim president following large protests, galvanising opponents of current socialist President Nicolás Maduro.

Some 26 people were reportedly killed in demonstrations last week and the UN has warned that the situation could spiral out of control.

More than three million Venezuelans have fled their country over recent years, blaming hunger, lack of medical care, rising unemployment and violent crime.

Here are seven charts that try to explain what's going on. (read more)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(mine)

Maduro is simply a very bad guy. He's an authoritarian who has wrecked the country and created mayhem including everything from food shortages to massive immigration pouring out of the country. But what can the U.S. and other Western democracies do about Maduro? The U.S. (for once) isn't alone in our opposition to Maduro.

Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, and Peru—as well as the EU are opposed to Maduro's illegitimate presidency. What can be done constructively to help democracy take place without it being seen that we are selecting the leadership of the Venezuelan people? Here's where it gets difficult because Trump has zero credibility in the world right now. (flashback to the United Nations and the stunning 'America First' and hyper-nationalistic speech).

It's reported that there's Russian mercenaries on the ground, and Russia does not want the U.S. to put troops in Venezuela, that goes without saying. We'll see whether Trump follows Putin's marching orders or will he stand up to the Russians and push forward and carry this through. Russia has already put out a statement, the Russian ambassador said 'Venezuela doesn't represent a threat to peace and security, if anything does, it's the shameless and aggressive action by the U.S. and their allies aimed at ousting the legitimately elected president".

There's such a deep void of experience and competence in this administration that they had to go outside to find someone competent enough to deal with this situation. After being advised to do it, Trump appointed Elliott Abram as Deputy Secretary of State. He was 'almost' Deputy Secretary of State under Rex Tillerson but Trump stopped his appointment because Abrams had written a negative piece about Trump before the election. The important thing is that the U.S. has designated a special envoy to deal with the Venezuela situation because it has escalated. Abrams is one of those regime-change architects going way back to the Contra takeover in Nicaragua during their revolution. If nothing else, the U.S. appears to have someone with experience handling things for the U.S.

 

[Mycroft]

I thought I would start this thread for two purposes, to give everyone some valuable insight into the crisis in Venezuela and also to try to explain why Venezuela is the real crisis south of our U.S. border. It's not illegal caravans coming from Honduras or Nicaragua, it's Venezuela.

This article by the BBC is a must read for anyone who wants to understand the 'why, where and how' this is a vitally important issue and why it should matter to everyone, not only the U.S.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-46999668

Venezuela: All you need to know about the crisis in seven charts

Growing discontent in Venezuela, fuelled by hyperinflation, power cuts and food and medicine shortages, has led to a political crisis.

Opposition leader Juan Guaidó has declared himself interim president following large protests, galvanising opponents of current socialist President Nicolás Maduro.

Some 26 people were reportedly killed in demonstrations last week and the UN has warned that the situation could spiral out of control.

More than three million Venezuelans have fled their country over recent years, blaming hunger, lack of medical care, rising unemployment and violent crime.

Here are seven charts that try to explain what's going on. (read more)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(mine)

Maduro is simply a very bad guy. He's an authoritarian who has wrecked the country and created mayhem including everything from food shortages to massive immigration pouring out of the country. But what can the U.S. and other Western democracies do about Maduro? The U.S. (for once) isn't alone in our opposition to Maduro.

Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, and Peru—as well as the EU are opposed to Maduro's illegitimate presidency. What can be done constructively to help democracy take place without it being seen that we are selecting the leadership of the Venezuelan people? Here's where it gets difficult because Trump has zero credibility in the world right now. (flashback to the United Nations and the stunning 'America First' and hyper-nationalistic speech).

It's reported that there's Russian mercenaries on the ground, and Russia does not want the U.S. to put troops in Venezuela, that goes without saying. We'll see whether Trump follows Putin's marching orders or will he stand up to the Russians and push forward and carry this through. Russia has already put out a statement, the Russian ambassador said 'Venezuela doesn't represent a threat to peace and security, if anything does, it's the shameless and aggressive action by the U.S. and their allies aimed at ousting the legitimately elected president".

There's such a deep void of experience and competence in this administration that they had to go outside to find someone competent enough to deal with this situation. After being advised to do it, Trump appointed Elliott Abram as Deputy Secretary of State. He was 'almost' Deputy Secretary of State under Rex Tillerson but Trump stopped his appointment because Abrams had written a negative piece about Trump before the election. The important thing is that the U.S. has designated a special envoy to deal with the Venezuela situation because it has escalated. Abrams is one of those regime-change architects going way back to the Contra takeover in Nicaragua during their revolution. If nothing else, the U.S. appears to have someone with experience handling things for the U.S.

So...are you saying that, if Trump doesn't put American troops on the ground in Venezuela, that means Trump is following Putin's marching orders?

If so, I'd say that's a supremely stupid thing to say.

 

[ElChupacabra]

US action in Venezuela is going to be a tricky one because the US is not seen as a benefactor, and under Trump even less so. Maduro was bad news from the beginning because he sought to carry on Chavez's legacy despite the obvious flaw in how those programs were being funded. The situation there is dire, and the mass migration is going to have an impact on Venezuela's recovery as well. I think this could be something better dealt with by the OAS, but it won't be easy because I don't think any of the neighboring states have any desire in potential armed conflict if Maduro doesn't leave voluntarily.

 

[haymarket]

Should I cancel my February vacation in Caracas?

 

[ElChupacabra]

Should I cancel my February vacation in Caracas?

Depends on what the purpose of your visit. If you're looking to relax and hang out with the locals, then probably not so much. The other day at the Uruguayan cafe I frequent, I had a great conversation with a woman who left Venezuela almost six months ago. She painted a pretty dire picture of the situation there. She's here with family and working at a relative's beauty salon, but torn over the fate of her other siblings who crossed over into Colombia where the situation for them isn't as rosy.

 

[haymarket]

Depends on what the purpose of your visit. If you're looking to relax and hang out with the locals, then probably not so much. The other day at the Uruguayan cafe I frequent, I had a great conversation with a woman who left Venezuela almost six months ago. She painted a pretty dire picture of the situation there. She's here with family and working at a relative's beauty salon, but torn over the fate of her other siblings who crossed over into Colombia where the situation for them isn't as rosy.

Good advice - thank you . I apologize for not putting a smiley face winking as I was just being a smartass. Sometimes I cannot help it.

 

[ElChupacabra]

Good advice - thank you . I apologize for not putting a smiley face winking as I was just being a smartass. Sometimes I cannot help it.

Yeah...I thought you would get my meaning too.

 

[HumblePi]

So...are you saying that, if Trump doesn't put American troops on the ground in Venezuela, that means Trump is following Putin's marching orders?

If so, I'd say that's a supremely stupid thing to say.

Where did I say that? Are you only highlighting in RED because you are assuming that I mean that Trump should put troops on the ground? What I'm saying is that unless Trump grows a set of balls and does something like impose sanctions on Venezuela and freezing their gold assets as the UK has already done or if his new Deputy Secretary of State doesn't come up with a plan of some sort that sends a message to Putin to keep their troops and their interference OUT of the civil dispute in Vzla then he's simply acquiescing to Putin's interference which Putin clearly has by putting two of Russia's nuclear-capable bombers in Caracas and Russian mercenaries on the ground. The U.S. absolutely cannot allow Russia to have nuclear-control of the Western hemisphere, no matter what we have to do, we cannot sit and do nothing. That's going to be up to the wisdom of people with some real experience such as Elliott Abram who actually knows how to deal with dictators and coup d'etas.

 

[PoS]

I hope we stay out of it. Maduro is such an incompetent commie that he wont last long anyway.

 

[Mycroft]

Where did I say that? Are you only highlighting in RED because you are assuming that I mean that Trump should put troops on the ground? What I'm saying is that unless Trump grows a set of balls and does something like impose sanctions on Venezuela and freezing their gold assets as the UK has already done or if his new Deputy Secretary of State doesn't come up with a plan of some sort that sends a message to Putin to keep their troops and their interference OUT of the civil dispute in Vzla then he's simply acquiescing to Putin's interference which Putin clearly has by putting two of Russia's nuclear-capable bombers in Caracas and Russian mercenaries on the ground. The U.S. absolutely cannot allow Russia to have nuclear-control of the Western hemisphere, no matter what we have to do, we cannot sit and do nothing. That's going to be up to the wisdom of people with some real experience such as Elliott Abram who actually knows how to deal with dictators and coup d'etas.

Well, you probably should have said something about sanctions and gold instead of something about troops.

Anyway, Trump knows what his options are and it's been clear since Trump became President that he uses economics as a tool in his foreign policy. And, he has already shown the entire world that he has a set of balls. Instead of pissing and moaning about what you think...or don't think...Trump will do, you should just wait and see what he actually does.

Then you'll know if he is following Putin's orders or not.

 

[HumblePi]

Well, you probably should have said something about sanctions and gold instead of something about troops.

Anyway, Trump knows what his options are and it's been clear since Trump became President that he uses economics as a tool in his foreign policy. And, he has already shown the entire world that he has a set of balls. Instead of pissing and moaning about what you think...or don't think...Trump will do, you should just wait and see what he actually does.

Then you'll know if he is following Putin's orders or not.

The decisions and choices aren't mine that's why I didn't present any until you forced me to.

 

[chuckiechan]

There is another issue that is not public enough. The Cubans with the help of Russia have successfully put the entier leadership as well as opposition groups in “silos” - a term used to mean no unmonitored communication goes in or out without being compromised.

As a result a coup cannot be organized since to be successful, it needs the military.

The US should take strong action against Cuba.

 

[HumblePi]

Well, you probably should have said something about sanctions and gold instead of something about troops.

Anyway, Trump knows what his options are and it's been clear since Trump became President that he uses economics as a tool in his foreign policy. And, he has already shown the entire world that he has a set of balls. Instead of pissing and moaning about what you think...or don't think...Trump will do, you should just wait and see what he actually does.

Then you'll know if he is following Putin's orders or not.

Trump is a man that went bankrupt 7 times. Trump is a man that can't get a business loan from any bank in the United States because he's a risk. Trump can only borrow money from foreign banks that are under FBI scrutiny for possible money laundering. Trump has no geopolitical knowledge at all and Venezuela is an economic problem for the U.S. but that's the least of it in the long run. Yes, the problem is economic for the people in Venezuela since they are being deprived of the necessities like clean drinking water, electricity, food and toilet paper. The inflation rate in Venezuela reached 1,300,000% in the 12 months to November 2018. Think about that just for a minute, 1,300,000%! It's just like the inflation in Germany before WW1. People in Vzla are waiting in food lines holding boxes filled with Bolivars and spend it all just to buy a few days supplies. Addressing the problems in Venezuela has to be left to the most experienced and knowledgeable people we can find, and it's surely not Trump. He needs to understand where his boundaries are as far as geopolitical knowledge and influence of such factors as geography, economics, and demography on the politics and especially the foreign policy of the U.S.

The concerns shared by just about every democratic country are the influences of outside socialist foreign entities that have one agenda and that's to steal as much of Venezuela's riches that then can, including taking over their oil reserves completely. This is more than an 'economic' problem for the United States.

Here's why the U.S. should care about Venezuela. They're the top asylum seekers in the US, ahead of citizens from China, Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador. It's the first time Venezuelans have topped the list. It's creating thousands of refugees in surrounding countries like Bolivia, Chile, Brazil, Peru and Colombia. Their migrant crisis is actually reshaping all of S. America.

What has been going on in Venezuela is literally a democratic mugging. I hope people here in the U.S. are looking at Venezuela and seeing just how dangerous an autocratic government can be. AND do not for a minute think it could never happen here. It shouldn't be a surprise that Maduro is using the current crisis to whip up flames of anti-Americanism throughout both Venezuela and the region because he's under Putin's influence. If Trump makes good on his threat to slap sanctions on Venezuelan oil or ban shipments to the US, Venezuela would be crippled because that's the country's only source of income. Its humanitarian crisis would worsen. But the sanctions would hurt us too, because Venezuela is third in oil exports to the United States, behind Saudi Arabia and Canada.

 

[apdst]

I thought I would start this thread for two purposes, to give everyone some valuable insight into the crisis in Venezuela and also to try to explain why Venezuela is the real crisis south of our U.S. border. It's not illegal caravans coming from Honduras or Nicaragua, it's Venezuela.

This article by the BBC is a must read for anyone who wants to understand the 'why, where and how' this is a vitally important issue and why it should matter to everyone, not only the U.S.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-46999668

Venezuela: All you need to know about the crisis in seven charts

Growing discontent in Venezuela, fuelled by hyperinflation, power cuts and food and medicine shortages, has led to a political crisis.

Opposition leader Juan Guaidó has declared himself interim president following large protests, galvanising opponents of current socialist President Nicolás Maduro.

Some 26 people were reportedly killed in demonstrations last week and the UN has warned that the situation could spiral out of control.

More than three million Venezuelans have fled their country over recent years, blaming hunger, lack of medical care, rising unemployment and violent crime.

Here are seven charts that try to explain what's going on. (read more)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(mine)

Maduro is simply a very bad guy. He's an authoritarian who has wrecked the country and created mayhem including everything from food shortages to massive immigration pouring out of the country. But what can the U.S. and other Western democracies do about Maduro? The U.S. (for once) isn't alone in our opposition to Maduro.

Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, and Peru—as well as the EU are opposed to Maduro's illegitimate presidency. What can be done constructively to help democracy take place without it being seen that we are selecting the leadership of the Venezuelan people? Here's where it gets difficult because Trump has zero credibility in the world right now. (flashback to the United Nations and the stunning 'America First' and hyper-nationalistic speech).

It's reported that there's Russian mercenaries on the ground, and Russia does not want the U.S. to put troops in Venezuela, that goes without saying. We'll see whether Trump follows Putin's marching orders or will he stand up to the Russians and push forward and carry this through. Russia has already put out a statement, the Russian ambassador said 'Venezuela doesn't represent a threat to peace and security, if anything does, it's the shameless and aggressive action by the U.S. and their allies aimed at ousting the legitimately elected president".

There's such a deep void of experience and competence in this administration that they had to go outside to find someone competent enough to deal with this situation. After being advised to do it, Trump appointed Elliott Abram as Deputy Secretary of State. He was 'almost' Deputy Secretary of State under Rex Tillerson but Trump stopped his appointment because Abrams had written a negative piece about Trump before the election. The important thing is that the U.S. has designated a special envoy to deal with the Venezuela situation because it has escalated. Abrams is one of those regime-change architects going way back to the Contra takeover in Nicaragua during their revolution. If nothing else, the U.S. appears to have someone with experience handling things for the U.S.

It can all be summed up in one word: communism

 

[HumblePi]

It can all be summed up in one word: communism

It's socialism, but that's neither here nor there. The point of education regarding Venezuela and the socialism that has destroyed their democracy is the reason I posted the link. It's important to understand the inner workings of this crisis because it's going to affect the U.S. in many ways.

 

[apdst]

It's socialism, but that's neither here nor there. The point of education regarding Venezuela and the socialism that has destroyed their democracy is the reason I posted the link. It's important to understand the inner workings of this crisis because it's going to affect the U.S. in many ways.

Six of one, half dozen of another.

Communism can only exist in a one party state. If the people are allowed to vote against a communist system, they usually will.

 

[HumblePi]

Six of one, half dozen of another.

Communism can only exist in a one party state. If the people are allowed to vote against a communist system, they usually will.

Their election was rigged, just like ours were, how bout that?

 

[apdst]

Their election was rigged, just like ours were, how bout that?

Are you seriously pushing that stupidity in a thread about communism?

 

[sanman]

Elliott Abrams has been one of the leading Never Trumpers who started the Never Trump movement. He did this after Trump criticized the record of George W Bush in the South Carolina debates with Jeb Bush during the primary, by saying that Americans would be better off if Bush had simply gone to the golf course for 8 years, instead of showing up at the Whitehouse. These sharp comments inflamed the Bush family - and the Iraq War lobby, which obviously Elliott Abrams was a key leader of. Because of their participation in the Never Trump movement, Abrams and other Never Trumpers were barred from holding senior positions in the Trump administration. This in turn led to a barrage of propaganda from Never Trumpers, about how the Trump Whitehouse were being vindictive and also allowing many key positions to go unfulfilled by being so slow to fill them, which was delaying the business of govt.

Now as you can see, Abrams is ready to play a role in Venezuela to change out the regime there.

Personally, I've no sympathy for the socialist regime of Maduro, but I think it's better to let things play out naturally, rather than to create the impression that the US is pulling the strings to decide who rules Venezuela.
The regime change lobby like to tout their skills to make themselves look useful and important, but in the meantime their goal is to maintain the imperial imperative and the instruments of empire.

 

[HumblePi]

Are you seriously pushing that stupidity in a thread about communism?

I happen to know what the subject of the thread is. I should know because I'm the one that created the thread and it is not about communism.

"Socialism is an economic system while communism is both an economic and political system. ... Socialists can own personal properties while communists can not. Socialism allows capitalism to exist in its midst while communism seeks to get rid of capitalism."

 

[apdst]

I happen to know what the subject of the thread is. I should know because I'm the one that created the thread and it is not about communism.

"Socialism is an economic system while communism is both an economic and political system. ... Socialists can own personal properties while communists can not. Socialism allows capitalism to exist in its midst while communism seeks to get rid of capitalism."

Socialism is a political system, too. It can only exist where the people don't have the power to vote it out.

 

[Birdzeye]

Trump is a man that went bankrupt 7 times. Trump is a man that can't get a business loan from any bank in the United States because he's a risk. Trump can only borrow money from foreign banks that are under FBI scrutiny for possible money laundering. Trump has no geopolitical knowledge at all and Venezuela is an economic problem for the U.S. but that's the least of it in the long run. Yes, the problem is economic for the people in Venezuela since they are being deprived of the necessities like clean drinking water, electricity, food and toilet paper. The inflation rate in Venezuela reached 1,300,000% in the 12 months to November 2018. Think about that just for a minute, 1,300,000%! It's just like the inflation in Germany before WW1. People in Vzla are waiting in food lines holding boxes filled with Bolivars and spend it all just to buy a few days supplies. Addressing the problems in Venezuela has to be left to the most experienced and knowledgeable people we can find, and it's surely not Trump. He needs to understand where his boundaries are as far as geopolitical knowledge and influence of such factors as geography, economics, and demography on the politics and especially the foreign policy of the U.S.

The concerns shared by just about every democratic country are the influences of outside socialist foreign entities that have one agenda and that's to steal as much of Venezuela's riches that then can, including taking over their oil reserves completely. This is more than an 'economic' problem for the United States.

Here's why the U.S. should care about Venezuela. They're the top asylum seekers in the US, ahead of citizens from China, Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador. It's the first time Venezuelans have topped the list. It's creating thousands of refugees in surrounding countries like Bolivia, Chile, Brazil, Peru and Colombia. Their migrant crisis is actually reshaping all of S. America.

What has been going on in Venezuela is literally a democratic mugging. I hope people here in the U.S. are looking at Venezuela and seeing just how dangerous an autocratic government can be. AND do not for a minute think it could never happen here. It shouldn't be a surprise that Maduro is using the current crisis to whip up flames of anti-Americanism throughout both Venezuela and the region because he's under Putin's influence. If Trump makes good on his threat to slap sanctions on Venezuelan oil or ban shipments to the US, Venezuela would be crippled because that's the country's only source of income. Its humanitarian crisis would worsen. But the sanctions would hurt us too, because Venezuela is third in oil exports to the United States, behind Saudi Arabia and Canada.

Unfortunately, the US history WRT the internal affairs of Latin American countries has been deplorable. We seem to have a habit of supporting brutal right wing dictatorships such as the one in Chile under Pinochet and the one in Argentina during their Dirty War. I fear that trump would send in our troops to replace Maduro (whose political demise I would not mourn) with some right wing despot just as evil as Pinochet was, who would make human rights nonexistent, but who wouldn’t do squat to improve the lives of the Venezuelan people.

 

[Northern Light]

I feel so awful for the people who have to turn to soup kitchens to get fed.

Why are human economic systems so screwed up.

 

[HumblePi]

Socialism is a political system, too. It can only exist where the people don't have the power to vote it out.

Venezuela is a federal presidential republic. The chief executive is the President of Venezuela who is both head of state and head of government. Executive power is exercised by the President. Legislative power is vested in the National Assembly. The United Socialist Party is in power now. There are regular presidential elections in Venezuela but Maduro faced international condemnation and allegations of vote buying and electoral fraud.

 

[HumblePi]

Unfortunately, the US history WRT the internal affairs of Latin American countries has been deplorable. We seem to have a habit of supporting brutal right wing dictatorships such as the one in Chile under Pinochet and the one in Argentina during their Dirty War. I fear that trump would send in our troops to replace Maduro (whose political demise I would not mourn) with some right wing despot just as evil as Pinochet was, who would make human rights nonexistent, but who wouldn’t do squat to improve the lives of the Venezuelan people.

With Venezuela it's sort of a take on the old saying 'the hand that rocks the cradle...etc' only in geopolitics it's 'the hand that holds the oil rules the world'. One more reason for the world to go green.