Downfall 2

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

Nicolas Maduro has presided over Venezuela's collapsing society (see label Venezuela) since the death of Hugo Chavez in 2013. You've seen the protests, the immense lines of people hoping to buy food. Two million have fled the country.

Cuba's government wants to prop up the rule of Maduro according to this report in the NYT. Before the last election - commonly known to have been rigged - Cuba sent thousands of doctors. Not to help the people, but to help Maduro win:

"Cuban doctors said they were ordered to go door-to-door in impoverished neighborhoods, offering medicine and warning residents that they would be cut off from medical services if they did not vote for Mr. Maduro or his candidates."

Instructions were given to the doctors on how to manipulate patients to vote for Maduro. Foreign medical workers were given counterfeit ID cards so they could vote for Maduro. Treatment was forbidden to opposition supporters. Oxygen was withheld from heart patients.

“These are the kinds of things you should never do in your life,” said one doctor.

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from NYT "It Is Unspeakable,": How Maduro Used Cuban Doctors to Coerce Venezuela Voters"

Resisting 5

Follow up to this post

Last summer in Venezuela, the presidential election was stolen by dictator Nicolas Maduro. Nelson Merino had worked the campaign for the opposition party and then worked to prevent Maduro from "illegally seizing power." He writes here about the subsequent suffering he endured for his efforts.

Despite the courage of the opposition and its leader Maria Machado, the dictator retained his power and declared his victory. Merino was soon arrested and charged with resisting authority, obstruction of public roads, incitement to hatred, and terrorism.

"We were tortured. We had no access to clean drinking water and no proper food . . . We had no rights--only what they called privileges." One of those privileges was the paqueteria: every 15 days, family members of prisoners were allowed to bring a 5-liter bottle of drinking water, five packs of crackers, and one chocolate bar. That was all." More details are given in his article below.

Like so many other (photo) Venezuelan patriots, he says "I celebrate and applaud the actions taken by the United States government against the narco-trafficker Nicolas Maduro . . ." 

"Today I am a refugee in Spain with an overwhelming need to return to Venezuela, out of love and commitment to freedom and democracy."

from "I Survived Maduro's Torture State"

Resisting 3

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

People of Venezuela, drawing courage from Maria Corina Machado, are taking to the streets to protest against Maduro's claim of election victory. Both sides say they have evidence to support their claim. Machado says her candidate received 73% of the vote.

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"Venezuelan elections under Mr. Maduro have long ceased to be considered free or fair, beset by voter suppression and other irregularities." Some Latin American countries have downgraded their relationship to Venezuela in protest.

The NYT reports that the analysis of a non-government research group is consistent with an independent exit poll conducted on Election Day. Their conclusion? The opposition party beat Maduro by 66% to 31%.

A fight for power is taking place right now.

from New York Times

Lost freedoms 1

You know that Venezuela has been in trouble for years if you follow this blog. Go here to see massive lines of people waiting at grocery stores, big migrations to neighboring countries, health care and medical facilities barely functioning.

This is the country which has more reserves of oil than any other country in the world. Under leader Maduro, the people live in desperate poverty. Somehow he manages to hold on to power.

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With the legislative (law-making) and judicial (courts) branches of government under Maduro, the nation  lacks what we in the U.S. call "separation of powers." His executive branch of government will freely use all powers to maintain his control.

Amnesty International published a report last year enumerating the ongoing loss of civil liberties:

• excessive use of force
• unlawful killings
• torture
• criminalization
• unfair trials

Hardly any news outlet is willing to go out on a limb to report any of this. But the newspaper El Nacional was such a one. Its end may be near. It reported that Maduro's second-in-power, Cabella, was being investigated by the U.S. for ties to drug trafficking. For that, Cabella sued. The courts have now issued a decision that the paper will pay a fine which they cannot possibly pay.

(cont'd tomorrow)

Resisting

Inflation climbed 9,000% from 2012 to 2022, and that is just the tip of the misery iceberg in Venezuela where socialist dictators Chavez and Maduro have held control since 1998. Chavez changed the constitution to take the country by revolution when his term as president was to end in 2003.

A third of the country's citizens (eight million) have left it, and the people are desperate. Take a look at the "man-made hell" they've been dealing with here.

Opposing the government of Maduro (successor to Chavez) is dangerous. This author was convicted of creating a movie "portraying the authorities in a negative light," and sentenced to 6-10 years in prison for it. He moved to the U.S. two hours later.

Maduro claimed victory in last Sunday's national election--after opposition figures were arrested and the leader barred from running (that should sound familiar). That leader is still the focus of whatever hope is left. Her name is Maria Corina Machado.

from The Free Press

(cont'd tomorrow)

Same old

Follow-up to this post

Stiff opposition to dictator Victor Maduro's regime in Venezuela has died for the present. His power to overwhelm his challengers has landed him a victory, in spite of big protests and in spite of the opinion of global leaders that he stole last summer's election.

"Maduro was sworn in [1-12-25] as president of Venezuela for a third term, declaring victory in a stolen election. Though Venezuelans protested the fraud--thronging Caracas and other cities--the regime crushed the uprising and threw 2,000 opponents in jail. Venezuelans seem doomed to live under a regime that has brought them nothing but inflation, repression and despair."

Resisting 4

Follow up to this post

Venezuela's fight for freedom from socialist dictator Maduro is not over. A fight for power is taking place right now, and the American government is taking sides in the outcome of that disputed election held a couple weeks ago.

According to the US Secretary of State, “Given the overwhelming evidence, it is clear to the United States and, most importantly, to the Venezuelan people that [the opposition party] won the most votes . . .”

His statement goes on to denounce Maduro's threats and accusations toward the opposition as "unsubstantiated,"  "an undemocratic attempt to repress political participation and retain power.”

Opposition leader Machado says she is in hiding, fearing the loss of her freedom and even her life. This is far from over.

from CNN

Peace prize

Follow up to these posts

Venezuela's opposition candidate for president ran against dictator Nicolas Maduro in 2024 and won the most votes, according to the U.S. Attorney General at that time. 

Maduro managed to retain his power and stay in his position, though denounced by world leaders for his thuggery. Maria had to go into hiding to escape his threats.

She's been a brave campaigner for freedom and democracy in her country where it's dangerous to take that stand. For her leadership in this cause, though her party has not yet been successful, she (photo) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last Friday.

In a piece for UK's The Times, she says that our US president "certainly deserves" to win that prize next year in 2026. In her words, “I mean, in only nine months, so many conflicts have been solved or prevented.”

from Times of Israel

Extra power

As you know if you follow this blog, the South American nation of Venezuela is (as Huff Po puts it) "on the verge of collapse" economically. How bad can it get? Here is their summing up of the situation:

• Murder - second highest rate of murder in the world, following Honduras
• Inflation - expected to reach over 700% this year. Cash is useless.
• Their economy is shrinking by 8%. "It might not have been so bad if former president Hugo Chávez hadn’t chosen his oil company leaders based on their loyalty to him and his party. The employees took money from the company, but didn’t re-invest the cash to improve the country’s processes."
• Shortages of stuff the people need
• Corruption - the ninth most corrupt nation on the globe

Seventeen years of central control under socialism has ruined the prosperity Venezuela used to have. So what is current president Nicolas Maduro's urgent demand? More power, of course. "Things are so bad that President Nicolas Maduro has declared a state of emergency, giving him extra power . . "

Resisting 5

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

Nicolas Maduro still holds power in Venezuela, in spite of losing July's election (in the view of many countries) and in spite of massive protests. We know his tactics include accusations and threats against his opposition, but that's not all.

A dictator cannot be too careful of allowing influencers to speak. So he has ordered X (former Twitter) to be blocked from the country for ten days as a punishment for X owner Elon Musk. Why? Because--shock--Elon has made mean statements about him, like calling him a dictator and a clown.

(Actually, I call him a dictator too, but for some reason Maduro's not coming after me 😄)

 

from Seattle Times

Resisting 2

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

This woman "and the opposition movement she has created are the only things standing between the people and Nicolás Maduro and his thugs." 

She's not the kind of leader you'd expect to win the hearts of Venezuelans because "she's too white and too rich." But she stands for principles the people love, like personal dignity, the freedom to start a business, reuniting families torn up by migration. "Grandparents die alone because their children decided to walk thousands of miles and cross jungles to reach societies where they can thrive."

Electricity may be turned off by the government when she plans a rally, so the people "turn on the flashlights on their cell phones and silence themselves to listen." If they block the roads, fishermen bring her by boat. If they block tv and radio, social media carries her message.

When her candidacy was barred, she asked the people to vote for her stand-in. With record numbers voting, polls indicated a landslide for her representative. But Maduro claimed the victory.

from The Free Press

(cont'd tomorrow)

Lost freedoms 2

 (cont'd from yesterday's post)

El Nacional's owner has fled the country for (understandable) fear for his safety. Dozens of media outlets have been driven out of business by courts friendly to Maduro. The Committee to Protect Journalists says, “This is a clear case of judicial harassment against one of the few remaining independent outlets in Venezuela, which has managed to keep reporting against all odds.”

In this particular case, if it does not pay the "astronomical" fee, the newspaper may be seized and sold at auction.

When the economy and government branches are free and separate, they are a protection against tyranny: each can act to restrain excesses in the others. When they are all controlled by Maduro, there is no protection. He can use the courts, the economy, etc., to insulate himself from opposition.

photo

from Stream

Resisting 6

Follow up to this post

In spite of Maduro's threats, X (Twitter) would not comply with his demand that they censor his political opponents. So a much higher penalty was set.

X is banned in Brazil. Some citizens might want to switch to a VPN (virtual private network) to get around the ban and continue reading X, but that strategy is squelched as well. A justice speaking for their Supreme Court announced that anyone doing that will be fined US$8900/day--more than the average yearly salary.

The CEO of X says, “This is a sad day for X users around the world, especially those in Brazil, who are being denied access to our platform. I wish it did not have to come to this – it breaks my heart.”  She added that Brazil's constitution forbids censorship.

X's legal representative in country was threatened with imprisonment so she resigned, and even then all her bank accounts were frozen. 

Both in America and in other countries, we take the freedom to speak for granted. But it's gotten to the point where we'll have to fight for that freedom because: "Just about every tinpot dictator on the planet wants to stamp out our right to hear alternative voices . ."

from Mind Matters

Most oil

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

Venezuela has been under socialism since Hugo Chavez began his rule as president in 1999, and then he was succeeded by the current president Nicolas Maduro (his follower). So the government has controlled most of the economy for 19 years.

As you know, people are fleeing the economic disaster that is Venezuela. In 2001 it was the richest country in South America. Today it's in free fall, despite the fact that it has the biggest petroleum reserves in the world.

"But how can it be that the country with the world's largest proved oil reserves can't afford to feed its people? The current crisis can be traced to the historical management of the country's oil industry."

(cont'd next week)

Just gets worse

What's a hospital with no reliable water for drinking, washing, flushing? That's life at a big hospital in Caracas, the capitol of Venezuela, where the economy continues to collapse.  Patients fill jugs from a tap and operations are postponed.

photo: yahoo

"I have gone to the operation bloc and opened the tap to wash my hands, as you must do before a surgery, and nothing comes out," said gynecologist Lina Figueria.

Caracas is nestled in a verdant valley . . and its water is pumped from much lower sources. But the pumps have not been maintained . . and President Nicolas Maduro's administration is short of cash.

"For many years this deterioration process was not noticeable. But now the water transport systems are very damaged," said Jose De Viana, former president of Hidrocapital, the state-run utility in charge of Caracas' water supply.

Venezuela's socialist government typically says water cuts are due to sabotage by right-wing "terrorists."

Blind spot 3

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

Alex cites the example of Venezuela, where socialism was chosen when they democratically voted for Hugo Chavez in 1998. 

"Look no further than Venezuela for an example of how an allegedly socialist utopia necessarily leads to a communist crackdown. We are watching history repeat itself. As the socialist system collapses, Maduro implements tyranny. That’s how it works. That’s how it always works."

Alex believes that fans of socialism have not been told the whole story, that they have been educated by elites with a huge blind spot.

"My grandmother passed away in 1995 and my grandfather died last month. It is in their honor that I tell their story and on their behalf that I make this plea: Just like with Naziism, we must make it socially unacceptable to express any positive sentiments toward socialism or communism. Its 100 million victims cry out."

Yes kings

Satire (not reporting) from Babylon Bee 😄

Angry left-wing protesters have made an amazing transition.

Last fall their signs read "No Kings" But now that a dictator (Maduro) has actually been stopped, their signs read "Yes Kings"!

from Babylon Bee

China rule

Presidents of the United States are permitted to serve only two terms in order to limit how much power one president may command. If the current president proposed an end to presidential term limits, and his party was expected to rubber-stamp the proposal, that would immediately become a crisis.

But that is what happened in China this weekend. President Xi Jinping recommended abolishing presidential term limits, and the Communist Party (of which he is also the leader) will meet this month and probably bow to the increase of his personal power.

"China’s Communist Party instituted term limits after Mao Zedong’s death in 1976, to ensure that a future Chinese leader wouldn’t rule for life and cement the kind of cult of personality Mao had.

"If China does indeed remove term limits for Xi, he will not be the first world leader to use constitutional rules for authoritarian purposes. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, and Russian President Vladimir Putin have all made similar moves. It’s a form of power grab by procedure rather than by coup."

from The Atlantic

(cont'd tomorrow)

Collapsing 2

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

Jorge says, "Venezuela is a dictatorship that brutally represses its people. Maduro’s dictatorship controls the entire state apparatus as well as almost all media outlets. Under this system, Venezuelans lack fundamental political freedoms such as free elections, freedom of speech, and freedom of assembly."

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"I believe in the deep transformation of my country. I believe in a country of freedom, with opportunities to fulfill our dreams."

Fair distribution of resources "is only possible through markets, private property, and public policies that empower people . . ."

Major League Baseball (MLB) players in the U.S. who originally came from Venezuela also have something to say:

“We want liberty for our country,” said Pittsburgh pitcher Felipe Rivero.

Collapsing 1

It's tough to live in today's Venezuela. The Atlantic summarized it four years ago: 

"Venezuela is now the world champion of inflation, homicide, insecurity, and shortages of essential goods--from milk for children to insulin for diabetics and all kinds of indispensable products. All this despite having the greatest oil reserves in the world and a government with absolute control of all state institutions and levers of power."

Jorge Jraissati was just two years old when his country started on this path of collapse in 1999.  He says, "Throughout my twenty-two years of life, I have seen the intense pain that Maduro’s repressive institutions have inflicted on my family, friends, and community."

He offers not only his professional observations as an economist . . but also his personal observation of the "depth of human suffering" that socialism has caused there. 

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For stories of Venezuela's worsening situation, go here.

(cont'd tomorrow)