Posted on 10/23/2008 5:41:04 PM PDT by pasr
CARACAS, Venezuela — They line up early, before sunrise, beside a massive metal fence to wait for a government grocery store named for a 1960s Venezuelan revolutionary to open.
"The government pays for the subsidies, and that's why we elected the president, and that's why we love him," said Medarda Romero , 66, setting down a black garbage bag full of food. "He cares about the poor. Previous presidents didn't."
Venezuela's government gets 50 percent of its income from oil revenues, however, and now falling oil prices threaten to force Chavez to scale back the food subsidies and other government programs he's used to lift millions of Venezuelans out of poverty.
Not only could this make life harder for the poor but it also could threaten Chavez's political power, because his popularity depends at least in part on his free-spending anti-poverty programs.
"Shortages of food won't help Chavez," said Pedro Atencio , a 40-year-old factory worker, as he waited in line outside the "mercal," as the grocery store is known in Venezuela . "People would become unhappy. That wouldn't be good for him."
International oil prices peaked at $147 a barrel in July but have dropped to below $70 amid the worldwide financial crisis. Venezuelan oil generally sells for about $10 per barrel less than the international price.
Ramon Espinasa , formerly the chief economist for the Venezuelan state oil company, now consults for the Inter-American Dialogue, a public-policy organization in Washington . He estimates that the government's profits from oil exports will drop to $41 billion this year from $52 billion last year.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
The people are already suffering under Hugo Chavez. Will it really be noticeably worse than it already is?
Oh really? It sounds more like he is destroying Venezuela... the only end I'm seeing Chavez being removed from power by violent means a few years from now...
I don’t care about Chavez suffering either, but the people who he rules have no choice who their leader is. They’re also the only people down there suffering. Hugo’s living the high life.
I’m kind of happy to hear it. The Venezuelans have it in their power to get rid of Chavez. If they choose not to do so then they must enjoy suffering.
AHHHHHHHHH
Nevermind, it was just GAS!!!! Pardon the pun. Screw Chavez.
Sure they have a choice just like we do. If a dictator took over here, which choice do we take? Submit or fight. I chose too fight. I will not bow down to any man. Too me, Liberty is first. I am a free man. No government will make me a prisoner. Either I continue to live free or die. I will never be a prisoner of a thug dictator.
Good .
Yup. Just like that Dimocrat voter with the garbage bag full of food he gave her. He bought her vote with free stuff, just like the Dimocrats here.
It actually will be worse. In addition to the oppression, now they are seriously looking at a lack of basic necessities.
It could, however, also finally trigger the population and/or military to take action.
Chavez will do what commie-fascist dictators do when the economy sours...he will go to war, most likely with Colombia.
Let em eat oil....
Unfortunately I don’t think it’s gonna be long before you have to back those words up. BTW, I’ll be right there with you.
unfortunately, most Americans don’t even know where venezuela is on a map.
You mean, under socialism,that there are lines to get food and goods that are regulated by the government?
Shades of the USSR!
and what will a President Obama do when his economy sours and can’t afford all his big spending?
I think lots of people have forgotten that Communists are/were/will be the enemy. If US Citizens from the 50’s saw this election they would shoot us all..
This is silly. Poverty is measured in terms of household income. He hasn't reduced poverty, he has reduced hunger. Moreover, he is destroying the economic infrastructure in the process. Small businesses cannot compete with government subsidized food. They will lose half their clientele and will go out of business. Thanks, Hugo!
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