Leroy N. Soetoro
2019-02-15 21:35:51 UTC
https://www.foxnews.com/world/how-socialism-turned-venezuela-from-the-
wealthiest-country-in-south-america-into-an-economic-basket-case
Venezuela was once the wealthiest country in South America, but in recent
years millions have fled the country amid mass starvation and violence
after socialist policies were enacted and government seized private
industries.
Now, as Venezuelans struggle against the countrys current dictator, some
Venezuelan exiles in the U.S. are desperately warning Americans to avoid
going down a similar path.
Socialism not only takes away from people the access to basic food and
medicines, but also creates an environment in which life is worth
nothing, Giannina Raffo, who fled Venezuela in 2016 but who still works
with activist organizations there, told Fox News.
VENEZUELA'S INTERIM PRESIDENT GUAIDO OFFERS MADURO AMNESTY IF HE CEDES
POWER
Despite that situation in Venezuela, polls show Americans warming to the
term socialism in recent years.
Venezuelans who have fled their country warn that their countrys history
shows what others must watch for and avoid.
US defies Maduro's order to pull diplomats out of VenezuelaVideo
Venezuelas journey to disaster began in 1992, when a Venezuelan
lieutenant colonel named Hugo Chavez led several army units in a coup
against the government. More than 100 people were killed in fighting, but
his coup was defeated.
However, in the name of national unity, the government released Chavez
from prison after just two years.
NIKKI HALEY LED THE WAY WITH VENEZUELA CONDEMNATION AT UN
Chavez made many positive statements about socialism after his release
from prison. Almost immediately after his release, he went to Cuba and
spoke before the Cuban parliament and Fidel Castro, telling them: I do
not deserve this honor. I hope I will deserve it one day... We are
committed to the revolutionary work.
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro walks past a painting of his
predecessor, late President Hugo Chavez, inside the chambers of the
Constitutional Assembly where he will give his annual address to the
nation in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Jan. 14, 2019.
Four years after that, Chavez ran for the Venezuelan Presidency. During
his run, he downplayed his previous radicalism telling people that he
was ''neither for savage capitalism, nor socialism, nor Communism''.
Instead, he claimed to support a "third way" -- a balance between
socialism and capitalism.
Chavez won the election. Maria Teresa Romero, a Venezuelan who fled to the
U.S., says Chavezs softer rhetoric was all about seizing power.
Hugo Chávez deceived people by blatantly using lies, she told Fox News.
News reports from when Chavez won the Presidency in 1998 state that some
Venezuelans sent their valuable property to Miami to protect it from
potential confiscation.
Anti-government protesters cheer after Juan Guaido, head of Venezuela's
opposition-run congress, declares himself interim president of the South
American country until new elections can be called, at a rally demanding
the resignation of President Nicolas Maduro, in Caracas, Venezuela,
Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019.
But in the short run, their property was safe. Chavez didn't implement
many socialist policies immediately.
US ORDERS SOME DIPLOMATS TO LEAVE VENEZUELA, CITING SECURITY CONCERNS
His first priority was instead to re-write the Constitution. He was direct
about it, telling the Venezuelan congress in 1999: "The constitution, and
with it the ill-fated political system to which it gave birth 40 years
ago, has to die. It is going to die, sirs -- accept it."
Chart looks at Venezuela's oil production and inflation.;
Chart looks at Venezuela's oil production and inflation.; (AP)
Chavez succeeded in re-writing the Constitution, which came with new
rights to things like free government-provided health care, college, and
social justice. The constitution passed a popular vote easily, with 72%
of the vote.
The basic structure of both the old and new constitutions followed the
U.S. model with a Presidency, a legislative branch, and a Supreme Court.
However, after several Supreme Court rulings went against Chavez, in 2004
he stacked the court by passing a law to add 12 new justices to it
justices that he got to pick.
A similar move was once proposed in the United States by President
Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the idea has also been proposed recently by
professors angry about President Trumps nomination of Justice Brett
Kavanaugh to the court.
Only once Chavez had control of the courts and the legislature did he
begin to fully advance socialist policies.
VENEZUELA'S LEADERSHIP CRISIS 'CANNOT BE IGNORED' AS WORLD PICKS WHETHER
TO BACK MADURO OR SUPPORT OPPONENT GUIADO
Chaos in Venezuela a new concern for family of American detained by Maduro
governmentVideo
A series of changes started to show us the terrifying truth, Giannina
Raffo said. Constant attacks on private property, the implementation of
very harmful economic policies, criminalization of dissent, censorship,
etc,
In 2006, Chavez ran for election on an overtly socialist platform, and
soon after he won, he began major seizures privately-owned property.
Thousands of private businesses were nationalized including media
outlets, oil and power companies, mines, farms, banks, factories, and
grocery stores.
One video shows a shop owner in tears as his business is confiscated for
charging higher prices than were allowed.
Through the nationalizations, Americans from Michael Moore to Nobel-prize
winning economist Joseph Stiglitz often applauded Chavezs regime. In
beginning, Chavez had shown some progress in reducing poverty something
experts say was possible by spending Venezuelas vast oil wealth.
They were able to fund a lot with the oil money, and when oil prices went
down, the rest of the economy had been just destroyed, Tom Palmer,
Executive VP at the Atlas Network, told Fox News.
Hundreds of people, mostly Venezuelan migrants, held a rally against
Maduro and in favor of Juan Guaido, head of Venezuela's opposition-run
congress who proclaimed himself president of the South American nation.
Hundreds of people, mostly Venezuelan migrants, held a rally against
Maduro and in favor of Juan Guaido, head of Venezuela's opposition-run
congress who proclaimed himself president of the South American nation.
(AP)
America may be a long way from Venezuelas tragedy, experts say. Polls
show that many of the 37 percent of Americans who say they support
socialism actually have in mind the generous welfare states seen in
Europe, rather than the traditional definition of socialism the
nationalization of production.
Giannina Raffo personally experienced the effects of Chavezs economic
policies, which caused massive shortages and hyperinflation.
Just before coming to the U.S. in January 2016, my family and I used to
make +8 hour lines to buy basic goods.
Food was her biggest worry.
Its the same that Cuba has basically you can only buy a certain amount
of food per week (2 pastas, 2 milks, 1 chicken, etc).
She noted that, often, even that amount was not available. Surveys show
the average Venezuelan has lost 24 pounds.
Her family was fortunate and was able to move out of the country.
'Living' in Venezuela was not living anymore. [My family] only spent
their time trying to find food and medicines to survive. The apartment
that [my family] left behind my home for 24 years is now empty. They
are not coming back.
She continues to be an activist and tries to help Venezuelan pro-freedom
groups from the U.S.
My advice to people, especially to youth, is to never stop fighting for
their freedom. Never let your country be ruined by a "Chavez" or anyone,
she said.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP
Don't let someone ruin your next generations with absurd ideas of
socialism. Educate and disseminate ideas of freedom as far you can.
Maxim Lott is Executive Producer of Stossel TV and creator of
ElectionBettingOdds.com. He can be reached on Twitter at @MaximLott.
--
Donald J. Trump, 304 electoral votes to 227, defeated compulsive liar in
denial Hillary Rodham Clinton on December 19th, 2016. The clown car
parade of the democrat party ran out of gas and got run over by a Trump
truck.
Congratulations President Trump. Thank you for cleaning up the disaster
of the Obama presidency.
Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the
The World According To Garp.
ObamaCare is a total 100% failure and no lie that can be put forth by its
supporters can dispute that.
Obama jobs, the result of ObamaCare. 12-15 working hours a week at minimum
wage, no benefits and the primary revenue stream for ObamaCare. It can't
be funded with money people don't have, yet liberals lie about how great
it is.
Obama increased total debt from $10 trillion to $20 trillion in the eight
years he was in office, and sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood queer
liberal democrat donors.
--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: ***@netfront.net ---
wealthiest-country-in-south-america-into-an-economic-basket-case
Venezuela was once the wealthiest country in South America, but in recent
years millions have fled the country amid mass starvation and violence
after socialist policies were enacted and government seized private
industries.
Now, as Venezuelans struggle against the countrys current dictator, some
Venezuelan exiles in the U.S. are desperately warning Americans to avoid
going down a similar path.
Socialism not only takes away from people the access to basic food and
medicines, but also creates an environment in which life is worth
nothing, Giannina Raffo, who fled Venezuela in 2016 but who still works
with activist organizations there, told Fox News.
VENEZUELA'S INTERIM PRESIDENT GUAIDO OFFERS MADURO AMNESTY IF HE CEDES
POWER
Despite that situation in Venezuela, polls show Americans warming to the
term socialism in recent years.
Venezuelans who have fled their country warn that their countrys history
shows what others must watch for and avoid.
US defies Maduro's order to pull diplomats out of VenezuelaVideo
Venezuelas journey to disaster began in 1992, when a Venezuelan
lieutenant colonel named Hugo Chavez led several army units in a coup
against the government. More than 100 people were killed in fighting, but
his coup was defeated.
However, in the name of national unity, the government released Chavez
from prison after just two years.
NIKKI HALEY LED THE WAY WITH VENEZUELA CONDEMNATION AT UN
Chavez made many positive statements about socialism after his release
from prison. Almost immediately after his release, he went to Cuba and
spoke before the Cuban parliament and Fidel Castro, telling them: I do
not deserve this honor. I hope I will deserve it one day... We are
committed to the revolutionary work.
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro walks past a painting of his
predecessor, late President Hugo Chavez, inside the chambers of the
Constitutional Assembly where he will give his annual address to the
nation in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Jan. 14, 2019.
Four years after that, Chavez ran for the Venezuelan Presidency. During
his run, he downplayed his previous radicalism telling people that he
was ''neither for savage capitalism, nor socialism, nor Communism''.
Instead, he claimed to support a "third way" -- a balance between
socialism and capitalism.
Chavez won the election. Maria Teresa Romero, a Venezuelan who fled to the
U.S., says Chavezs softer rhetoric was all about seizing power.
Hugo Chávez deceived people by blatantly using lies, she told Fox News.
News reports from when Chavez won the Presidency in 1998 state that some
Venezuelans sent their valuable property to Miami to protect it from
potential confiscation.
Anti-government protesters cheer after Juan Guaido, head of Venezuela's
opposition-run congress, declares himself interim president of the South
American country until new elections can be called, at a rally demanding
the resignation of President Nicolas Maduro, in Caracas, Venezuela,
Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019.
But in the short run, their property was safe. Chavez didn't implement
many socialist policies immediately.
US ORDERS SOME DIPLOMATS TO LEAVE VENEZUELA, CITING SECURITY CONCERNS
His first priority was instead to re-write the Constitution. He was direct
about it, telling the Venezuelan congress in 1999: "The constitution, and
with it the ill-fated political system to which it gave birth 40 years
ago, has to die. It is going to die, sirs -- accept it."
Chart looks at Venezuela's oil production and inflation.;
Chart looks at Venezuela's oil production and inflation.; (AP)
Chavez succeeded in re-writing the Constitution, which came with new
rights to things like free government-provided health care, college, and
social justice. The constitution passed a popular vote easily, with 72%
of the vote.
The basic structure of both the old and new constitutions followed the
U.S. model with a Presidency, a legislative branch, and a Supreme Court.
However, after several Supreme Court rulings went against Chavez, in 2004
he stacked the court by passing a law to add 12 new justices to it
justices that he got to pick.
A similar move was once proposed in the United States by President
Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the idea has also been proposed recently by
professors angry about President Trumps nomination of Justice Brett
Kavanaugh to the court.
Only once Chavez had control of the courts and the legislature did he
begin to fully advance socialist policies.
VENEZUELA'S LEADERSHIP CRISIS 'CANNOT BE IGNORED' AS WORLD PICKS WHETHER
TO BACK MADURO OR SUPPORT OPPONENT GUIADO
Chaos in Venezuela a new concern for family of American detained by Maduro
governmentVideo
A series of changes started to show us the terrifying truth, Giannina
Raffo said. Constant attacks on private property, the implementation of
very harmful economic policies, criminalization of dissent, censorship,
etc,
In 2006, Chavez ran for election on an overtly socialist platform, and
soon after he won, he began major seizures privately-owned property.
Thousands of private businesses were nationalized including media
outlets, oil and power companies, mines, farms, banks, factories, and
grocery stores.
One video shows a shop owner in tears as his business is confiscated for
charging higher prices than were allowed.
Through the nationalizations, Americans from Michael Moore to Nobel-prize
winning economist Joseph Stiglitz often applauded Chavezs regime. In
beginning, Chavez had shown some progress in reducing poverty something
experts say was possible by spending Venezuelas vast oil wealth.
They were able to fund a lot with the oil money, and when oil prices went
down, the rest of the economy had been just destroyed, Tom Palmer,
Executive VP at the Atlas Network, told Fox News.
Hundreds of people, mostly Venezuelan migrants, held a rally against
Maduro and in favor of Juan Guaido, head of Venezuela's opposition-run
congress who proclaimed himself president of the South American nation.
Hundreds of people, mostly Venezuelan migrants, held a rally against
Maduro and in favor of Juan Guaido, head of Venezuela's opposition-run
congress who proclaimed himself president of the South American nation.
(AP)
America may be a long way from Venezuelas tragedy, experts say. Polls
show that many of the 37 percent of Americans who say they support
socialism actually have in mind the generous welfare states seen in
Europe, rather than the traditional definition of socialism the
nationalization of production.
Giannina Raffo personally experienced the effects of Chavezs economic
policies, which caused massive shortages and hyperinflation.
Just before coming to the U.S. in January 2016, my family and I used to
make +8 hour lines to buy basic goods.
Food was her biggest worry.
Its the same that Cuba has basically you can only buy a certain amount
of food per week (2 pastas, 2 milks, 1 chicken, etc).
She noted that, often, even that amount was not available. Surveys show
the average Venezuelan has lost 24 pounds.
Her family was fortunate and was able to move out of the country.
'Living' in Venezuela was not living anymore. [My family] only spent
their time trying to find food and medicines to survive. The apartment
that [my family] left behind my home for 24 years is now empty. They
are not coming back.
She continues to be an activist and tries to help Venezuelan pro-freedom
groups from the U.S.
My advice to people, especially to youth, is to never stop fighting for
their freedom. Never let your country be ruined by a "Chavez" or anyone,
she said.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP
Don't let someone ruin your next generations with absurd ideas of
socialism. Educate and disseminate ideas of freedom as far you can.
Maxim Lott is Executive Producer of Stossel TV and creator of
ElectionBettingOdds.com. He can be reached on Twitter at @MaximLott.
--
Donald J. Trump, 304 electoral votes to 227, defeated compulsive liar in
denial Hillary Rodham Clinton on December 19th, 2016. The clown car
parade of the democrat party ran out of gas and got run over by a Trump
truck.
Congratulations President Trump. Thank you for cleaning up the disaster
of the Obama presidency.
Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the
The World According To Garp.
ObamaCare is a total 100% failure and no lie that can be put forth by its
supporters can dispute that.
Obama jobs, the result of ObamaCare. 12-15 working hours a week at minimum
wage, no benefits and the primary revenue stream for ObamaCare. It can't
be funded with money people don't have, yet liberals lie about how great
it is.
Obama increased total debt from $10 trillion to $20 trillion in the eight
years he was in office, and sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood queer
liberal democrat donors.
--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: ***@netfront.net ---