Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Venezuela is on the brink of a complete economic collapse
WaPo ^ | 01-29-2016 | Matt O'Brien

Posted on 01/29/2016 5:48:57 PM PST by NRx

The only question now is whether Venezuela's government or economy will completely collapse first.

The key word there is "completely." Both are well into their death throes. Indeed, Venezuela's ruling party just lost congressional elections that gave the opposition a veto-proof majority, and it's hard to see that getting any better for them any time soon — or ever. Incumbents, after all, don't tend to do too well when, according to the International Monetary Fund, their economy shrinks 10 percent one year, an additional 6 percent the next, and inflation explodes to 720 percent. It's no wonder, then, that markets expect Venezuela to default on its debt in the very near future. The country is basically bankrupt.

That's not an easy thing to do when you have the largest oil reserves in the world, but Venezuela has managed it. How? Well, a combination of bad luck and worse policies. The first step was when Hugo Chávez's socialist government started spending more money on the poor, with everything from two-cent gasoline to free housing. Now, there's nothing wrong with that — in fact, it's a good idea in general — but only as long as you actually, well, have the money to spend. And by 2005 or so, Venezuela didn't.

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


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Cuba; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Russia
KEYWORDS: collapse; communism; cuba; nicaragua; nicolasmaduro; russia; socialism; venezuela
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-63 next last

1 posted on 01/29/2016 5:48:57 PM PST by NRx
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: NRx

That country should be a wake-up call to anyone here even thinking about trying similar policies.

Hey Bernie, I’m talkin to you!

Socialism don’t work!


2 posted on 01/29/2016 5:54:33 PM PST by WildHighlander57 ((WildHighlander57, returning after lurking since 2000)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: WildHighlander57

What’s that Smell?


3 posted on 01/29/2016 6:01:54 PM PST by Autonomous User (During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: NRx

4 posted on 01/29/2016 6:04:11 PM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NRx
congressional elections that gave the opposition a veto-proof majority

Didn't the communist thugs on the Venezuela Supreme Court take care of that 'veto proof majority' by throwing out 3 opposition legislators?
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/13/venezuela-opposition-national-assembly-deadlock-resign

Looks like the Washington Post needs to keep up with the news.

5 posted on 01/29/2016 6:08:10 PM PST by PAR35
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NRx

The Bernie zombies will not make the connection....

Venezuela is the logical end result of Bernies socialist utopian ideology....


6 posted on 01/29/2016 6:15:28 PM PST by Popman (Christ alone: My Cornerstone...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Yep...are you watching Bernie? Better yet, are Bernie’s followers watching? The answer is probably NO!


7 posted on 01/29/2016 6:16:22 PM PST by deweyfrank
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: NRx

[Venezuela is on the brink of a complete economic collapse]

Substitute ‘America’ for the first word there and you have the Obama presidency summed up in one sentence. Now, in November, we’ll have to suspend elections, mind you, to deal with the economic crisis. /OK admit that’s tinfoil


8 posted on 01/29/2016 6:22:55 PM PST by SaveFerris (Be a blessing to a stranger today for some have entertained angels unaware)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NRx

Bernie’s Utopia!!!!


9 posted on 01/29/2016 6:24:13 PM PST by SaraJohnson
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NRx

Caracas is the world’s murder capital.


10 posted on 01/29/2016 6:27:37 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NRx

And they have been for goodness knows how long.


11 posted on 01/29/2016 6:28:13 PM PST by bgill (CDC site, "We still do not know exactly how people are infected with Ebola")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

The nutty professor is a parasite who is looking for a host....us


12 posted on 01/29/2016 6:30:30 PM PST by ronnie raygun
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: NRx

The system worked well for Hugo and his family - his daughter is now quite wealthy and I am sure the rest of his family made out like bandits.

Hope the little people enjoy what their champion did for them.


13 posted on 01/29/2016 6:31:49 PM PST by volunbeer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NRx

Send in “Josh Earnest”


14 posted on 01/29/2016 6:32:24 PM PST by Rome2000 (SMASH THE CPUSA-SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS-CLOSE ALL MOSQUES)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Popman

he Bernie zombies will not make the connection....Venezuela is the logical end result of Bernies socialist utopian ideology....


Their answer is always that THEY and doing it wrong and WE are (somehow) different.


15 posted on 01/29/2016 6:32:32 PM PST by rbg81 (Truth is stranger than fiction)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: SaveFerris

Some people are watching closely for indications of that exact scenario to play out here in the USA.

And we are not wearing tinfoil ....


16 posted on 01/29/2016 6:34:00 PM PST by sarasmom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: sarasmom; null and void

I know, but I always include the disclaimer for plausible deniability, LOL.


17 posted on 01/29/2016 6:35:34 PM PST by SaveFerris (Be a blessing to a stranger today for some have entertained angels unaware)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: sarasmom

And since I’ve said this before, frankly, I’ll be surprised if we get to or have elections in November without the economic time-bomb going off.

Nevertheless, I’ll admit it’s somewhat of my particular tinfoil hat. :)


18 posted on 01/29/2016 6:37:10 PM PST by SaveFerris (Be a blessing to a stranger today for some have entertained angels unaware)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: NRx

Good. Stupid is supposed to hurt.

L


19 posted on 01/29/2016 6:38:18 PM PST by Lurker (Violence is rarely the answer. But when it is it is the only answer.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NRx

Calling Jimmy Carter and Sean Penn


20 posted on 01/29/2016 6:42:14 PM PST by stocksthatgoup (how many laws has Cruz sponsored that have become law?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-63 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson