One of my best friends lives in Chile since a few years ago.
He mentions the psychological impact on the Venezuelan refugees was huge. Practically every people who experienced the clashes between national guards and demonstrators had a nerve meltdown. Of course, children were scared as well, watching their parents freak out.
Based on what I have learned after living through SHTF in Venezuela, I want to provide you with a few pieces of important advice for anyone facing such turmoil.
Do your best to remain calm.
If you show openly your fear, your family will immediately catch up with your mood. Not good. It´s supposed you have to protect them. Man up, even if you´re a single mom. I know this is easier for some people than for other ones.
My friend mentioned tear gas and gunshots close to his place and the concerned looks on his kids´ faces. He just shrugged and kept doing his stuff. Kids were like WTF? At the beginning but he told that it was just some guys passing by running from the police and the army who was protecting the people. Kids slowly calmed down and relax a little bit. They trust their papa. They know they will be protected no matter what. But if papa and or mama becomes a nerve mess and has a meltdown, your warm home is going to look like the Simpson´s Springfield nuclear plant facing meltdown. Hysteria everywhere.
My younger kiddo hates noisy environments. He was kept under a cocoon of silent since he was a baby: classical music sometimes, but other ones I used to listen to rock at high volume to train him to withstand noise. Not bad, just that he now loves My Chemical Romance, Fallout Boy and Green Day. Hilarious.
But looking at your parents concerned, at age 15 is a bitter feeling. I know how that feels. I experienced that at 15, and remember could not even swallow my lunch. Much worst was once the tear gas started to get into our patio. Our house is entirely open. Even the dogs were having a hard time. Vinegar spraying in the face was quickly started.
Get more information on surviving civil unrest and riots.
It´s a good moment to remind you all: adding a good gas mask (one for each family member) and after bought, everyone must learn how to wear it in a hurry, and do it properly. This can make an important difference. Small children are going to be the most severely affected. Seen it happening in Caracas. Guards attacked a hospital. Jeez. If you´re hunkering down adults must take turns to monitor the surroundings (AND. DON´T. OPEN. THE. CURTAINS).
A face covered with a gas mask sticking out an apartment window is very likely to be targeted. So don´t do that. “Regular” “Normal” people do not have gas masks. But we know this is a good tool. Perhaps some drops of Valerian herb essence in a cup of water will help with those nerves, something I strongly recommend. Just put some music, and grab a book while installing yourself in an observation post that allows you to check to see what´s happening outside. If you have (as I indeed have recommended in some previous articles) to have an array of 2 or 3 remote cameras to see what´s happening outside without sticking the nose outside of a window, this is the moment to use them. Quietly and unnoticed. This will work as a means to calm down yours, too.
Don´t leave your place unless it´s extremely necessary.
I´m sure someone thinking they´re smart cookie will call me Mr. Obvious and other stupidities. But try to dialogue with your (non-prepper) wife once the food is gone and her rattle is shaking as if there´s no tomorrow. Trust me, the streets are not going to be safer once this rattling starts. Jokes apart, not because you don´t see anything from your window doesn´t mean something is NOT coming your way.
If you feel the need to make it to the supermarket 4 miles away with the best prices, maybe you can get there. Maybe you could even buy your stuff if the place hasn´t been looted. And maybe, too, a turmoil gets between you and your home and can´t be surrounded. You could get yourself into trouble just because. No need to do it. Keep your place supplied, be creative and use your brains. What I mean is, if the water, power or phone gets cut off, it´s stupid to leave the place believing that you´re going to make it to their offices to make a claim. I know there is plenty of people that would do this. So don´t call me Cap. Obvious. You´ll be underestimating the endless human potential for dumbness.
OK now, let´s elaborate a little bit. Suppose you are in your apartment in downtown Chile. On the second floor. Going higher in one of the countries of the Fire Belt is not wise. Anyway, tear gas is starting to feel. You pull out your gas masks, or even your swimming glasses and a cloth soaked in vinegar over your mouth. The 3 supermarkets nearby have been looted. Not just looted, they have been destroyed. Cashier machines, transport belts, even the shelves island have been demolished. Some reports have told that even factories have been burned. Senseless, irrational violence. And you don´t have where to buy fresh vegetables, nor fruit. You have still water and power.
But it´s here where our preppings are going to shine and your kids will learn that it pays off to play squirrel, at the end of the day.
Your horizontal freezer is filled up with supplies. Your pantry is stocked from floor to roof with canned vegetables, beans, pasta and whatnot, enough for six months. You have toilet paper to wipe off an entire primary school battalion for one year (if you have children under 10 you know how they go through toilet paper FAST). Toothpaste, shampoo, and soap? No problem. That couple of cases of beer is still safe under your bed.
Depending on your level of preparedness, defined according to your real needs, you could leave once you find it´s safe and make it to your bug out location.
One of my friends informs me that in Chile his job was not affected. He could attend to his office, just walking carefully…and a cab every now and then. The train is not functional. There are massive demonstrations. When these start, people just leave the office and go home. Usually, the turmoil starts when these people reach a certain point.
Things are becoming more chaotic all over – stay vigilant.
The SSNN have been playing a good role to establish safe routes. It´s incredible the organization level of these groups that are battling. They report (EVTV journalist interviewing Victor Higuera 30/10/2019, the Director of a Venezuelan media in Santiago, Capital of Chile) even a horde of 6500 people. Three more large commerce establishment burned down, and a clinic. A CLINIC. A MEDICAL FACILITY burned down. It´s a Red Dawn. No doubt about it. Whatever the reasons are, it has started to circulate the motto “Migrating in Latin America is like changing staterooms in the Titanic”. Go figure. Some Chilean media are spreading dubious information. They say the military is “repressing”, but…what can they do when a mob wants to set on fire a mall, or a clinic? It´s incredible that the democracy in that country is hanging from such a thin thread.
Going back on topic. Managing stress is important. For that, an entire awareness of the surroundings is necessary. Do you have a cheap couple of CCTV cameras? Then install them in the windows, and you won´t need to jeopardize your integrity. I say this because in Caracas the colectivos shot to windows even when listening to someone banging a casserole. That´s why. In the worst of 1989, people would block with mattresses and boards the windows. They had to sleep in the hallways because of the shootings. If you don´t believe me, just search “Caracazo 1989”, open your best online translator, and prepare some good coffee. The more I think about it, the more convinced I am. That was the first attempt to set South America on fire. Red Dawn. It´s starting again now, just that the Chilean Antifa is being paid with the money stolen from us Venezuelans.
And I want (need!) to remark this. How is it possible that a situation like this one simultaneously arises in different cities, all of a sudden? This is not spontaneous. This has to obey some kind of coordination. We have to analyze the sequence of the events, because maybe our location, one that we believe is peaceful, can be, in the matter of a few hours or even minutes, a focus of turmoil and disorder. Or it presents itself in the middle of one of our strategic evacuation routes to our bug out location.
Whatever the situation is, we certainly can´t allow ourselves to be caught in the streets. And if we are, we must know what to do.
Thank you.
Thanks for your support, encouraging words, for your comments, and for all that spectacular receptiveness you’ve shown to this engineer whose life has been so deeply transformed by the power of destiny.
I will keep writing no matter what.
And may God bless us all.
Jose
About Jose
Jose is an upper middle class professional. He is a former worker of the oil state company with a Bachelor’s degree from one of the best national Universities. He has a small 4 members family, plus two cats and a dog. An old but in good shape SUV, a good 150 square meters house in a nice neighborhood, in a small but (formerly) prosperous city with two middle size malls. Jose is a prepper and shares his eyewitness accounts and survival stories from the collapse of his beloved Venezuela. Thanks to your help Jose has gotten his family out of Venezuela. They are currently setting up a new life in another country. Follow Jose on YouTube and gain access to his exclusive content on Patreon. Donations: paypal.me/JoseM151
hang in there buddy!
u.s. nationals have no idea what’s coming…
Thanks man.
I truly hope nothing like tht happens there…ever!…the US seems to be the last stronghold of freedom in the world.
Demoncraps want the fall of America. They have waited patiently and executed faithfooly their communism agenda for decades, that is. until the white in shining armor showed up and spoilt it all just before they pulled the trigger with Hillary.
You can see their desperation. From Hillary claiming God meant her to be President to Adam Schitt changing laws to become judge, jury, and executioner.
Thank you for giving us a heads up Jose. You deserve to be heard for what you and others have learned the hard way. This is a fair warning that things can turn on a dime.
The Cultural Revolution has definitely shoved America into a do or die corner. No matter which way the “impeachment” goes, it appears that all hell is ready to bust loose. The House doesn’t seem to care whether they do things right or not. They know that whatever the outcome the Woke Peeps will be set in motion.
Maybe here is a good place to encourage folks to go see the documentary, No Safe Spaces, all about our first amendment rights being challenged by the Far Left on the university campuses and spilling over into the lives of everyday people. Worth supporting to get the word out. Common Sense folks need to be inspired to hold fast! “They have to believe we are evil, otherwise they would have to debate us.”
Dear Debber,
I believe there´s something quite sinister hidden behind “politics” and that so called “rhetorical” of “left”. They have exposed once and again their non-democratic disposition. They use democratic mechanism to arrive to power positions, and use whatever means they have to NOT leave power.
We are an example. 20 years of having a communist boot in the neck of Venezuelan people should teach the entire American continent a lesson.
We have to fight back.
I grew up in the “Ozzie and Harriet” times. I know that those days are long gone.
Am I really supposed to believe the protests and Antifa aren’t orchestrated?
We live simple. Downsized to under 900 sq ft by choice. I’m building in and adding cabinets and bookcases et to add storage. Live large in a small foot print.
I cool with crossdrafts. Heating is optional between sticks, pellets, or wood chips in my rocket stove with optional set on hopper.. This year I have 2.5 tons of pellets stored here.
My end tables are round shipping containers for herbs and seasonings shipped from China. I paid $5 each. They are sturdy with snap ring closures. They hold knitting and dry foods. Space is used carefully. Many things have two or three purposes. I’m getting rid of a small kitchen table and in stead we will be using an antique gatelegged folding table. Just right for two closed and comfortable for 8 when opened out. It will also double as a cutting table or craft table. For now.
Power is low ground mount solar. Low angled because of winds. But it still powers the entire home. It will have to be cleaned off during snow storms or covered with tarps that can be lifted off. I’m thinking moving pads and tarps would protect from most storms. A low wire fence is ready to put up. It will give a small measure of protection so a stranger won’t drive on the array and I’ll plant something vining to make them less obvious. New fruit trees were planted toward the road to also screen the array from the road but far enough away not to cause shade on it.
A lot can be done to live quietly and somewhat self sufficient on a small budget and at any age. I do much of this alone. My husband has Alzheimer’s So I’m also a caretaker. With no more shopping and no income we could still live for most of a year or more except for a few meds. I’m trying to build up a stock of those. If we didn’t need to travel to a Dr. I have everything from tools to manure and seeds for several years of gardening. If I can get gutters put up I have large containers for water. From snow melt to summer rains I could easily supplement water as needed for the garden. The well would be for household use. With enough time that will be on solar power also.
Pretty much we are just using 3/4 acre of my 3 acres. I planted cactus alone a dirt road fence line. Eventually as those fill over 400ft ft in and grow they will provide edible pads and fruits. I have shaded areas and hot dry sunny areas. Micro climates that each support different wild plants for food and medicines. My next eBay purchase is planned to be wild plant seeds for things that should survive here but aren’t already growing here. A garden that simply looks like untended weeds. I’ve been adding to plants that can feed us for years like asperigus, rhubarb, artichokes and strawberries and fruit trees and bushes. There are wild sour black cherries and red plums making a thicket. Dark goose berries gathered and now growing from roadside fruits. Wild yellow roses with petals and rose hips for jelly or tea. A pot of ginger grows in the kitchen window in winter and outside in summer. Same with mints. A skinny metal wire rack sits between the kitchen windows with trays for micro greens and sprouts. Some for us and some for the critters to have some fresh green in winter. It’s handy when company comes for sandwiches or salads.
Out of sight from any road or neighbor off the property are chickens, ducks and rabbits. Just pointing out it isn’t hard to be low-key and still have what you need.
Brilliant Strategies! Double use items, including furniture are a preppers best friends! For someone doing this on their own, you have definitely nailed survival thinking!
Dear Clergylady,
That´s wonderful. Your preppings are in much better shape that plenty of people, I dare to say. Good thing to know that.
In the future, I intend to build (we office and desktop engineers develop such a strange urge to build and manufacture once we leave that cage, BTW) some lighting devices for people in winter climates. Stay tuned, maybe next year will start working hard on that. Unfortunately all of my tools and equipment are back there in Venezuela.
Thanks for sharing such wonderful setup you have achieved! congrats.
Jose.-
The globalists (not marxists) have created this. They use marxism to stir up people but even then it takes the Soros organization and its umbrella Octopus to pay the leaders to organize the crowds to cause such destruction. The real idiots are the actual marxists allowing themselves to be manipulated into this stupidity.
Lenin used the left wing to kill off all the right wing and then used different left wing factions to kill each other off, so that in the end only the sheep were left and Lenin could drive his (one of three) very expensive cars around Moscow. Lenin, as was Hitler/Stalin, was a tool of the corporate oligarchs/banksters.
Dear Sue,
The modern caribbean version is a variant of all this, with the addition of the high rank military smuggling drugs all over the world.
Jose, I truly appreciate your articles. You give us an insight into what we may unforturnately be heading towards here in the USA. I may not reply to every post, but I do read them avidly. Thank you for all that you share.
Dear GrammyPrepper,
Thanks for your kind comment. These are what encourages me to keep writing.
The best is still to come, trust me.
Cheers!
Jose.
Thanks again for your insight, Jose. Hope your friends are OK.
Thanks for the idea of using boards on the windows. I’m on the third floor, but we’re facing a small municipal parking lot just off Main St and behind some shops/restaurants. It’s a concern, because it’s kind of exposed. Now I need to get the boards – I can store them under/behind the bed, and should have them in case of high winds anyway.
Thanks for the reminder.
Be sure to pre-drill the screw holes – it saves a lot of time if you need to put them up fast!
You´re welcome 🙂
And keeping a drill (those quite modern ones with light to see where you´re screwing at are great) nearby would be useful too.
Jose, I really like reading your post. Very informative. I have been prepping on my own now for about 3 or 4 years as DH is unable to help anylonger with his conj. heart failure. So having to care for him as well. But we are getting there.
The one thing that concerns me is the fact that here in the USA, I have seen riots where they burn the houses. This is a concern for me. They burn businesses as it is, but they are not above burning someone’s home down as well. We plan to stay put if possible. So how would you prep for that kind of riot or what has happened in the other countries and now Chilli.
Dear littlesister,
Dear LIttleSister,
That would be a subject for an entire article itself. Some suggestions would be avoid to mask your home surroundings to avoid getting attention of a mob. Having some fire extinguishers ready is somehow expensive, as modern devices require recharging of the propellant from time to time, but maybe some bags with fine powder in strategic places will be helpful. A first line of invasion detection with some nylon thread (knee or thigh high) rigged to an internal alarm would indicate if someone gets too close, and trigger the counterattack.As soon as you verify some indication of nearby turmoil, this almost invisible thread can be deployed in a rush, and will be ready to react. I´m no specialist on this, just using common sense here.
Maybe you would like to check my article about using high powered sound deterrents. They could be rigged off to a battery to work even without grid power, and they´re quite effective. Molotovs cocktails are so effective that the best defense is to avoid them being delivered. .
A cheap, affordable means of keep watching the entire perimeter would be 4 CCTV cameras, with your HD monitoring from a safe room, ready to activate the sound deterrent system, first barrier of defense. It´s unlikely thugs carry proper ear protection for a 130-150 dB system.
Depending on the laws in your State…how about investing in a Thompson subMG chambered in .22 with 4 spare drums and a good supply of ammo bricks?? even a cheap couple of .22 semiautos with plenty of spare mags could be helpful against a mob getting too close once in your front yard. Or the good old 12ga with birdshot, with the barrel properly weighted so you can handle the recoil, or chambered in 20ga. Gun experts should know more about this.
Castle Law should apply though.
Stay tuned!
Cheers!