Posted on 11/17/2007 10:15:04 PM PST by grundle
Now that he's calling for a referendum to reform the Constitution, including eliminating term limits for heads of state, this country is seeing a migration of middle-class residents who say they are fleeing economic and political instability and persistent crime.
"We never thought of living anywhere else. Venezuela is the most beautiful country in the world, and we have everything there. But if he reforms the Constitution, Venezuela is going to be a very dark place, and there is nothing we can do about it," says Lissette, tearing up. (She and Mervin did not want their family's last name published because they haven't left Venezuela for good yet.) "The truth is we need another option."
They are not alone. According to Luis Vicente Leon, the director of the polling company Datanalisis, 1 in 3 Venezuelans would consider leaving the country if they could. In addition to politics, they're driven by annual inflation of about 16 percent and a weakening national currency. Oil wealth has largely skipped over the middle class while blessing the rich and funding billion-dollar social programs.
The number of Venezuelans leaving is hard to nail down. According to the US Embassy in Caracas, the number of nonimmigrant visa cards has risen from 70,366 in 2003 to 109,586 last year.
But many Venezuelans are opting for other countries, as US immigration laws have tightened in the wake of 9/11. Nearby Panama, with a similar climate and political and economic stability, is a popular alternative.
(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...
That’s fine, they’re the sort of South American immigrants we need. Welcome, Venezuelans. I know it takes you about ten minutes after you land in Miami to start a new business, become successful, and start paying lots of taxes. And, it is to be hoped, start buying real estate.
And Venezuela spirals further into feudalism with Hugo as the nation’s feudal lord.
There is a point where a government can’t function...especially if you have a quarter of your middle-class just give up and leave. Numerous countries in Latin America wouldn’t have an issue with some of the smarter and more educated Venezuelans showing up. Chavez may think governments can continue to function...but with all the technology existing today....from telephones to infrastructure...you can’t chase that population group from your country.
50% parasitic vermin, who expect the successful to involuntarily ameliorate the symptoms of their personal failings, sounds about right across the world.
Chavez WANTS the middle class to flee, this is part of his plan. That will only leave the elite and poor people, and Chavez with a big pile of oil cash and a pig pile of weapons.
And how is this different from the US? It does seem that at least half the population here (the half that votes liberal) expect the government to do everything for them while they stand there with their collective hand out.
that’s right. that’s right. it’s not just about the stupid dems running for office but also their voters that are part of the problem
This is positively profound. Our future is being declared to us by this humble man.
If they can’t keep their own country free what good will they be here?
If we couldn’t prevent the Dem takeover in 2006 and possibly Hillary in 2008, what good are we?
So why would we take on more of the same from a foreign country?
Not disagreeing with that, but we should make sure that we don’t end up with a socialist regime here next. I don’t think we are that much better prepared to fend of the socialists as are those Venzuelans, as your comment implies. (Well granted at least we have the 2nd Amendment.)
There is a reason why working class Venezolanos voted for Hugo Chaves - and a reason why Panamá is a better place for their upper and middle classes than the US. The only people left there who I have any sympathy for are the Trinadian immigrants.
do you understand that a sitting ruler with secure control of the military is virtually impossible to topple in most countries?
assigning individual value to a single person based on national election results is moronic, but if it isn’t obvious, much of the population leaving venezuela is the productive part of their economy.
“So why would we take on more of the same from a foreign country?”
would? we take on far more people coming here with less, mainly from mexico, who are completely illegal and outside the system. until you manage to change the US government’s attitude towards unlimited immigration, one might consider whether letting some people bringing their own wealth come here to live isn’t a bad idea in the larger scheme of things.
Do you understand that they are not wanted here?
“Do you understand that they are not wanted here?”
Tax sheep (you and I) do not make this decision.
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