Posted on 01/13/2010 6:59:15 AM PST by blam
Venezuela Approaching Humanitarian Disaster As Chavez Expropriates Food Retailers
Vincent Fernando
| Jan. 13, 2010, 9:36 AM
Just after Hugo Chavez devalued the Venezuelan currency by 20%, he declared that companies weren't allowed to raise their prices. Yet this would be an economic impossibility for any business. No business is sustainable if its profit margins are negative.
As a result of this reality, it appears food retailers were caught in the mix trying to raise prices, and taken over.
Albuquerque Express: Government inspectors in Venezuela have closed many shops this week after the owners were accused of trying to manipulate last week's currency devaluation.
A group of supermarkets and other businesses across Venezuela have quickly been taken over by the tax inspectors for allegedly speculating and changing the price of products.
Superstores belonging to the Exito supermarket chain were the first to be acquired by the government.
Given the Venezuelan government's track record for running companies, expect food shortages ahead. Really. Just look at the energy industry for cues. Oil-rich Venezuela has been forced to impose rolling black outs on itself.
[snip]
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
Couldn’t care less if they totally starve. The “poor” thought they would make their way by looting the ones that produced. Anyone with the means should move to Columbia and leave Chavez to his third world hell hole. Hey, at least he has plenty of Ak-47s, right?
Go Hugo, go!
What old Hugo is doing is designed to fail.
The only thing that makes currencies steady or increase in value are a lot of people working in a capitalist system.
Socialism has never worked anywhere.
Simon Bolivar would be shocked, I’m sure.
Mugabe. -> Chavez.
Hugo is going to have a “Mussolini Moment”.
Pretty soon the only places to buy food will be state-owned Hugo-Marts, you will stand in line for hours, troops will patrol the premises. You will hope they have what you need because whats in stock and the prices will be as unpredictable as everything else Hugo Chavez touches.
Coming soon to a country near you...
I can’t wait for the Oliver Stone movie about the CIA and corporate America somehow undermining Hugo Chavez’s attempt at promoting Social Justice in the economically exploited South American country.
Sean Penn set to star as Hugo with George Clooney portraying the evil CIA operative controlled by to corporate America.
Michael Moore to cameo as Fidel Castro.
Meanwhile.....the ‘large mouth bass’ dictator has PLENTY to eat. Bastard.
How is this different from the US and the 2008 election.
Same reason my company has relocated upper management to Switzerland.
I draw a distinct difference between the two - Mugabe lost the office, but used force and arms to retain his position. The people of Zimbabwe actually woke up and asked him to leave, only to find a gun in their ribs. I have no doubt that Chavez actually won the majority vote in his both of his elections thanks to the “poor”, who expect more handouts. Well I hope they enjoy a big fistful of nothing. Let them see if that keeps their bellies full until morning.
Superstores belonging to the Exito supermarket chain were the first to be acquired by the government.
Hugo Chavez is a marxist boob and I don't want to be misunderstood as trying to defend his actions.
However, I can where, under certain circumstances, it would actually be beneficial to a local economy to shut down the large corporate megamarkets.....
Botton line: they's simply TOO efficient and drive the little Mom and Pop food stores out of business...
So protecting the small "c" Mom & Pop capitalist entrepreneurs from the excessive economies of scale generated by the Gigantic Capital 'C" capitalist megamarkets actually provides more widespread opporunity for people to earn a living, even though it is "less efficient" by Wall Street Standards.
Like I said, I don't know if that's what that boob Chavez is doing or not.
I'm just dreaming up a fictional scenario where getting rid of the megamarts might actually be a good thing for the local people.
this guy is a sad joke on the people of Venezuela...
The idea that Obama gave him any credibility with a handshake sickens me...
At this rate, Venezuela has less than 6 months before anarchy
And our bleeding hearts will give it to him.
Worth considering, but the evidence is that the mom and pops gain hand-over-fist whenever (e.g.) a Wall*Mart goes up nearby.
It’s the increased foot-traffic. Doubtless the increased wealth of all the customers (because they can now get 90% of what they want much more cheaply) also helps.
Coming to America. Baby boomers, seniors, post boomers and youngsters voted for this. Obama and the Dem monarchy communists will be starving us. As long as they have NFL and college games on TV plus reality shows - the sheep are happy.
Some one needs to remove Chavez and I mean now.
Mugabe —> Chavez -—> Hussein/Pelosi/Reid
The American people are so stupid. College and NFL games plus reality TV. Stupid idiots.
Even Rush foolishly keeps fawning over the NFL that punked him and is VERY pro-Obama and racist.
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