Venezuela police repel rare protest near presidential palace

[geronl]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/venezuela-police-repel-rare-protest-near-presidential-palace/ar-BBtNyho?ocid=ansmsnnews11

excerpt

CARACAS, Venezuela (Associated Press) — A throng of protesters demanding food made a run for the Venezuelan presidential palace on Thursday in a rare, apparently spontaneous outburst of anger at the socialist administration within the heart of Caracas.

More than 100 people charged down the main downtown thoroughfare chanting "No more talk. We want food" and got within about a half dozen of the presidential palace before police in riot gear headed them off and began firing tear gas.

Police pushed the protesters back as some kicked their plastic shields. More officers ran toward the scene and filled in the streets between the protesters and the palace.

Onlookers leaned out of windows banging pots and yelling insults at the officers.

The economically struggling county has seen near-daily spontaneous protests in recent weeks over shortages of food and medicine, rolling blackouts, and poor access to running water.

The organized opposition has staged several large rallies against the administration of President Nicolas Maduro, though the government has deployed troops in the streets to keep them from their goal of reaching the presidential palace.

Protesters said the incident started when a group of armed government supporters tried to cut into a long food line.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/venezuela-police-repel-rare-protest-near-presidential-palace/ar-BBtNyho?ocid=ansmsnnews11

socialismo

[ScottinVA]

Sounds like the Venezuelans are finding socialism to be somewhat less than so loudly promised.  Would that Americans learn the same lesson before this country experiences similar pain.

[geronl]

Sounds like the Venezuelans are finding socialism to be somewhat less than so loudly promised.  Would that Americans learn the same lesson before this country experiences similar pain.

There is a blog that has been tracking the price of a single cheese Arepa.
https://devilexcrement.com/2016/05/28/hyperinflated-arepa-index-hai-xii-crusing-through-a-factor-of-ten-increase/

In November 2014, the price was 120Bs (Bolivars)
Now it is about 10x as much.  He also reports that the Arepa is smaller and has appreciably less cheese than it did before.
There has been a 27% increase since April 9!
...

In the comments someone mentions that they never see 1Bs and 5Bs notes anymore and that it is more common now to see kids with 100Bs notes. Also a commenter claiming to own a bodega says he takes his outside light-bulbs home when he closes because they would be stolen otherwise. The stealing of lightbulbs, plumbing, toilet paper (where it can be found) is endemic.


from the comments at that link:

No meat, pork, or eggs at the market this morning though there were a few live and dressed chickens. Fresh veggies are available at what look like reasonable prices to me, but then, I don’t live off of mínimum wage.

Theft is rampant. Everything not nailed down, and some things that are, is getting stolen. Leave a building unoccupied for a day or two and the roof will disappear. A single sheet of corregated aluminum, last time I checked, was at about 10,000 bs.

[TomSea]

World's largest proven oil reserves - Venezuela

[TomSea]

Caracas in the 2000s to now, became a murder capital. I don't know when it became this way. I thought pre-Chavez; Venezuela did "okay".

[geronl]

Caracas in the 2000s to now, became a murder capital. I don't know when it became this way. I thought pre-Chavez; Venezuela did "okay".

It might not have been great before, but it's rock bottom awful now apparently