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Posted on 10/18/2014 7:04:50 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
After three weeks trapped inside their home, Natalie Pereira and her family made a final decision: they must leave Venezuela.
"I could see clashes from my apartment window, tear gas, every day," Pereira said, recounting violent confrontations between anti-government protesters and security forces earlier this year.
"The protests confirmed it - we had to go."
Pereira, a 33-year-old dentist now living in Texas, is not alone in making that decision.
As political strife drags on and an economic crisis brings soaring prices, tight currency controls and shortages of even basic goods, Venezuela's middle classes are increasingly seeing a future abroad.
Having largely but unsuccessfully voted against socialist leader Hugo Chavez during his 14-year presidency, they hoped for a change after his death in March 2013.
Furthermore, violent crime, which for years has been Venezuelans' No. 1 worry - only recently overtaken by the shortages - continues unabated. Upper-class areas often resemble ghost towns at night, with residents scared to venture out.
"I only have one friend left in Venezuela," Pereira added in a telephone interview from Houston, where she moved five months ago with her husband and daughter. "Everyone has left."
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Houston is happy to take in any midget second basemen there might still be in Venezuela.
Socialism consumes everything!
I had a number of classes with a Venezuelan fellow of Jewish ancestry (we were both taking classes in nuclear science). Very bright guy. I hope he got out.
I find it interesting that Reuters would write such a negative article about Venezuela.
Just happen to be having fresh arepas while glancing at Chef Udelman’s food truck! Pass the Pabellón criollo!
Get’n serious, I’ve family in Venezuela and the article just scratches the surface of damage done by Hugo & Manuro.
Real life “Going Galt”, with real life quotes such as:
Government supporters scoff at the middle-class exodus as a selfish and anti-patriotic turning of backs by those resentful the government is redistributing wealth.
“We’re making socialism in Venezuela and if they don’t want to participate, it’s better they get out,” said Elizabeth Gutierrez, 33, a community leader in the Petare slum of Caracas.
I have worked with quite a few Venezuelans in the energy industry, and most were looking to get out of there. That was not just engineers, that included technicians. And that was as early as 1999 that they saw the writing on the wall.
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