In Venezuela, a Latin American Throwback: Political Prisoners

[jmyrlefuller]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-venezuela-a-latin-american-throwback-political-prisoners-1500116402?mod=e2tw

By Ryan Dube and  Mayela Armas
July 15, 2017

While the recent transfer of opposition leader Leopoldo López from a military stockade to house arrest has received world-wide attention, Venezuela’s jails now hold more political prisoners than at any time in 18 years of rule by the self-declared leftist Bolivarian Revolution, say human rights groups.

The trend harks back to an era in Latin America when dictatorships from Nicaragua to Argentina jailed thousands of dissidents. With the exception of Cuba, the spread of democracy since the 1980s changed all that, but now Venezuela’s government has revived the practice, rights groups say.

[TomSea]

When I was growing up, we'd always hear of coups, overthrowing governments in Latin America, I think Bolivia was especially bad with that.

It's difficult to judge Latin America in general, take Mexico, I don't think it's ever been racked with this kind of violence in my lifetime but on the other hand, the middle class and the economy seem to be growing and doing better.

Obviously, Venezuela is in big trouble; I heard about this man being thrown in prison.

With all of this about China and their prisons, perhaps Venezuela is like that or Cuba.