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Venezuelan middle class seeks refuge in Miami
AP via WPXI ^ | March 7, 2014 | CHRISTINE ARMARIO

Posted on 03/07/2014 9:56:38 AM PST by rightwingintelligentsia

Carlos Salamanca fled Venezuela's growing political turmoil in January with his wife, two teenage children and $7,000.

Two months into their journey to the United States, he and his wife are sleeping most nights in an old, worn Nissan.

Salamanca had no family or business contacts in the U.S. No property he'd purchased on a previous trip. No idea where the children might attend school.

"Once we started getting threats, we couldn't take it anymore," he said of the family's last days in Venezuela.

Early waves of Venezuelan immigrants who fled after the late President Hugo Chavez and his socialist government came to power in 1999 came largely from the upper class. They had abundant savings and vacation homes in Miami to turn into permanent residences. These days, Miami's large Venezuelan community is filled increasingly with those from the middle class.

(Excerpt) Read more at wpxi.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: miami; venezuela
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1 posted on 03/07/2014 9:56:39 AM PST by rightwingintelligentsia
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

Not surprised.


2 posted on 03/07/2014 9:58:35 AM PST by Biggirl (“Go, do not be afraid, and serve”-Pope Francis)
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

Venezuela’s uprising is the forgotten uprising, being overshadowed by Ukraine.


3 posted on 03/07/2014 9:59:19 AM PST by Biggirl (“Go, do not be afraid, and serve”-Pope Francis)
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To: Biggirl

Seeing a lot of cars with S.O.S. Venezuela in white shoe polish on the back windows of cars here (SFL).

I think to myself, why the hell are you here then. Go save your f’in country if you love it so much!


4 posted on 03/07/2014 10:01:13 AM PST by bicyclerepair (The zombies here elected alcee hastings. TERM LIMITS ... TERM LIMITES)
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

Why didn’t he just drive across the border into Columbia or Brazil? Why take a 1000 mile flight to Florida?

We all know the answer to that. Columbia and Brazil have actual immigration laws (with NO welfare), unlike here.


5 posted on 03/07/2014 10:05:32 AM PST by Flavious_Maximus
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To: bicyclerepair

Where do we escape to when the time comes?


6 posted on 03/07/2014 10:06:27 AM PST by Argus
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To: Argus
Where do we escape to when the time comes?

A problem, isn't it? That's why Reagan called the USA the "last best hope for man on earth."

7 posted on 03/07/2014 10:12:39 AM PST by Paine in the Neck (Socialism consumes EVERYTHING)
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

Problem is that the leftist chavistas have a duped half of Venezuelans still on their side.


8 posted on 03/07/2014 10:21:24 AM PST by tflabo (Truth or Tyranny)
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To: Biggirl
Venezuela’s uprising is the forgotten uprising, being overshadowed by Ukraine.

Which in turn is being overshadowed by the story of Elijah Cummings - the Recently Freed Slave - and his struggle against Darrell Issa, the White Overseer.

9 posted on 03/07/2014 10:32:23 AM PST by Steely Tom (How do you feel about robbing Peter's robot?)
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To: Steely Tom

“Which in turn is being overshadowed by the story of Elijah Cummings - the Recently Freed Slave - and his struggle against Darrell Issa, the White Overseer.”

If I was there, I would have told Rep. Cummings that his silly “hissy fit” is a sure sign that Rep. Issa has gotten into Rep. Cummings head, “rent free”, to use a Rush Limbaugh quote. :)


10 posted on 03/07/2014 10:35:01 AM PST by Biggirl (“Go, do not be afraid, and serve”-Pope Francis)
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To: Argus

“Where do we escape to when the time comes?”

It will be time then to take our country back.


11 posted on 03/07/2014 10:36:39 AM PST by Biggirl (“Go, do not be afraid, and serve”-Pope Francis)
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To: Biggirl
It will be time then to take our country back.

When people have their backs against the wall, it's surprising how hard they fight. As some may discover.

12 posted on 03/07/2014 10:50:27 AM PST by Steely Tom (How do you feel about robbing Peter's robot?)
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To: Flavious_Maximus
Why didn’t he just drive across the border into Columbia or Brazil? Why take a 1000 mile flight to Florida? We all know the answer to that. Columbia and Brazil have actual immigration laws (with NO welfare), unlike here.

Not only that, but given half a chance they'll vote for democrats when made 'legal'.

Besides, like most banana republics wasn't Venezuela basically a country of corrupt liberal elites held up by a large poor and often criminal class?

13 posted on 03/07/2014 10:51:12 AM PST by GOPJ ("Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), always currying favor with the press...."(nailed) - William Bigelow)
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To: Steely Tom
Which in turn is being overshadowed by the story of Elijah Cummings - the Recently Freed Slave - and his struggle against Darrell Issa, the White Overseer.

LOL - Whoa there Steely Tom - you working for NBC now?

14 posted on 03/07/2014 10:55:40 AM PST by GOPJ ("Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), always currying favor with the press...."(nailed) - William Bigelow)
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To: Biggirl
Not surprised. Atlanta is full of them.
15 posted on 03/07/2014 10:57:35 AM PST by quadrant (1o)
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To: tflabo

Yes, and they also have Leftist militias and paramilitary groups that are well armed and organized.

The Left here in the US have no such thing. They’ll need to rely on professional institutions to preserve order and their power, rather than ideological foot soldiers, if a collapse comes.

And my guess is that members of the professional services (law enforcement, military) won’t react positively to being ordered to engage in the kinds of things (armed intimidation/terrorism, death squads) Leftists in other countries ultimately have to rely on to maintan power and control.


16 posted on 03/07/2014 10:58:48 AM PST by tanknetter
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To: GOPJ

Yeah; thing is, that with the disparity, the underclass develops feral traits, survival traits and they can’t cope in a civilized society where such traits are not needed. So the more stable members of a civilized society are victimized.

One thing I do know is that I am sick of the idea of foreigners escaping persecution, but go figure, bring their unresolved problems here as well.


17 posted on 03/07/2014 11:03:48 AM PST by CorporateStepsister (I am NOT going to force a man to make my dreams come true)
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To: Steely Tom
Which in turn is being overshadowed by the story of Elijah Cummings - the Recently Freed Slave - and his struggle against Darrell Issa, the White Overseer.

LOL! Soooo...you took that job with the NY Times, eh?

18 posted on 03/07/2014 11:04:49 AM PST by Billthedrill
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To: Billthedrill
LOL! Soooo...you took that job with the NY Times, eh?

It's not much fun. They pay in pesos for some reason.

19 posted on 03/07/2014 11:15:41 AM PST by Steely Tom (How do you feel about robbing Peter's robot?)
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

The best educated VZs are coming here.
This is VZ’s loss and our gain.


20 posted on 03/07/2014 11:43:07 AM PST by Eric in the Ozarks ("Say Not the Struggle Naught Availeth.")
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