Writing about my country is getting harder every time I sit behind a keyboard. It’s not a love-hate relationship. It’s far from that. I LOVE this place. The disgusting aspects are not geographical traits. On the contrary, the geography and weather is highly favorable for agriculture. .
It’s the rotten society I detest. The society that allowed a foreign power to control our destiny, to loot our wealth, our minerals, etc. To cause hyperinflation and everything that was meant for us. This is the origin of our woes here. The root cause.
But this article is not about that. It’s for you to appreciate how the iron grip of those in power, despite their immense destructive potential, won’t be able to crush our best weapons: our brains, souls, and guts.
People are getting nervous here because the ghost of hyperinflation seems to be coming back.
Things are still much better than back in the lapse 2015-2017. As I’ve written before, that was a time of horror. What got us through this period was my second online job; I paid the bills with my day job, and the prep supplies and other stuff with the additional income. However, once I started to see how our freedom was dying, like the right to own arms, to use USD as a currency (people went to jail because of this), and how they shot and killed over 300 people in the demonstrations since 2015, we decided to flee once hyperinflation devoured the last vestiges of my salary.
Currently, the most vulnerable die in the hospital because of curable diseases, and the ruling class rides armored and luxury Japanese SUVs paid with government money. The average worker here is rapidly losing weight.
People here are growing more aggravated, and there have been a number of protests and demonstrations. High ranking people belonging to the Socialist Party have actually been thrown in jail because of all the public clamor.
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As I type, I can hear the merchants selling eggs, poultry, and cheese.
This has always been typical in this little town, but in the (induced) Holodomor, these merchants disappeared. Fresh food like eggs, milk, cheese, vegetables, and fruits was sold on the black market then because the price regulations were totally bananas.
The uniformed ones controlled the industrial animal food supply for pigs and poultry. Still do. Even the Kelloggs cereal company was confiscated and now it is generating revenue for the pockets of a few.
Albeit many producers with enough land, machinery, and hands opted for producing their own and they only import the additives like minerals and other elements, grinding and mixing at home to overcome the bribe hubs. In the past, when the factories were seized, the communists forced a “quota”, rationing according to the size of the herd of every producer. This was theoretically done to make sure the supply was enough for everyone but in practice it was to incorporate a bribe scheme. The corruption here is so extensive that if our anti-corruption laws were to be applied by the book, there would be not enough prisons.
Back in the midst of the hyperinflation, in 2016, personal safety after 8pm was not assured in most of the country. Blackouts just added fuel to the bonfire.
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We remember all this. And now we’re seeing signs that hyperinflation will cause it here once again.
The prices in Bolivares, the official currency, are rising, and this is particularly painful for those who only receive the official handouts and pensions: $4 per month or less.
This has been causing a LOT of unrest since December 2022. The teachers and other public employees are protesting because of inflation and low salaries. As I type this, there is a situation in a place called Las Tejerias, a formerly peaceful town, that the gangs have transformed into one of the most dangerous areas of the country. If the unrest continues to strengthen, we are going to see some type of extended turmoil happens.
The factions protesting are mostly those directly relying on the so called “government”, receiving a salary that is not enough even for one day’s worth of food. They were Uncle Hugo’s strongest supporters, until they saw what socialism-communism meant in their own fridges. Like their wallets, their bellies soon were empty too.
It’s only the hyperinflation that gets to do the eating.
Is there more to add to the story? Do you have particular questions about South American politics? How long do you think it will take the Venezuelan economy to recover?
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.
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 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. Jose and his younger kid are currently back in Venezuela, after the intention of setting up a new life in another country didn’t go well. The SARSCOV2 re-shaped the labor market and South American economy so he decided to give it a try to homestead in the mountains, and make a living as best as possible. But this time in his own land, and surrounded by family, friends and acquaintances, with all the gear and equipment collected, as the initial plan was.
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I saw a $7.50 bottle of ketchup yesterday (2/19/21) in NC. The chocolate ration has been increased from 20 grams to 10 grams comrade. Starvation has always been the communist’s favorite tool of execution-slow and insidious. Sure, there’s food in the store, but no one can afford to buy it. And how does the old saying go? 100 people showed up at the bread line, 50 got bread and the rest were executed. But according to the media, “everyone was fed!”
I am a gringo who has lived 14 yr in the Coffee Triangle of Colombia. We have high annual inflation from 15 to 20 per cent. The middle class diminishes, many struggle to survive. The socialist government expands. The nation hosts several million economic refugees from neighbor Venezuela, and helps about an equal number of internally displaced persons, those driven from their places by fellow countrymen through extortion or violence. Many of these immigrate to larger cities to seek subsistence. This burdens the health and welfare infrastructure everywhere. How does one prep for this?
Are you talking about Columbia or USA? We are being invaded by illegals who get more freebies than Americans who worked for the payout at retirement. Corrupt DC is determined to bankrupt USA. Ukraine is bleeding us dry to push the New World Order. Putin and Xi are the only countries trying to remain sovereign albeit communist. The NWO has decided to eliminate them at all cost, even nuclear war. There are enough illegals in USA to work the farmland as slaves after they kill off the rest of Americans either by starvation, environmental pollution. The training of young people to moral depravity will make them easy to control. I fear starting to prep at this point in time will be difficult. The prices of long term storage food has risen 500% since I started in 2010. Obama policies scared me enough to get me started prepping. With DC corruption, we are no longer in the financial bracket to afford the necessary items I have been procuring for 13 years.
Ukraine pushing the NWO…? The NWO eliminating Putin and Xi?…I believe you got it wrong. Very wrong. They are part of the Globalist elite. The only ones spying their own citizens with apps like TikTok but at the same time forbidding things like YouTube in their country are the Chinese. The “suicide” rate in the Moscow circles is something worth a few books and a Pulitzer.
Hi. In my opinion, prep for that, you just can´t. When your homestead is in the middle of the narco routes, what can you do when they are protected by high rank gov and you´re forbidden to even own guns to fend yourself?
Have you noticed that not one governor or state legislature has made it a crime to hire illegals? Nor have they made it a crime to provide aid and schooling? You arrest the employers, heavily fine anyone who rents to an illegal or else pass a law saying since they are illegally in this country they are to never be given medical or care. See how fast they leave. Oklahoma a some years back pass some laws on illegals. I was visiting there with my father. The waitress said overnight wages went up and college kids could find jobs, because the illegals left. It is nothing less than treason to bus those criminals into the interior of our county. We are paying for what the illegals want. I know homeless people can’t get care, but illegals can. That is treason. Send them back to Canada and Mexico since they were there first. To let the invasion continue is an act of war by both Canada and Mexico! Use the money on the illegals to help our own citizens. However, I am the mindset that illegals should get 10 years prison for entering our country illegally!
Where are you getting the idea that immigrants are coming from Canada? In fact, it is the city of New York that is paying immigrants (and busing them to the Canadian border in Quebec) to sneak into my country. Before you put fingers to keyboard, I suggest you do some reading so you don’t look like a total idiot. It is the USA which is committing the acts of war – everywhere!!
Actually, it’s correct. There’s been a surge of 800% of illegal crossings from Canada into the US. https://nypost.com/2023/02/21/border-patrol-begs-for-help-after-record-migrant-surge-from-canada/
I’m not saying that the US isn’t doing what you said about sending migrants to Canada. I’m clarifying that we’re also seeing an increase from the Canadian border through to the US.
OT: I lived in Canada for 18 years. It’s a beautiful country.
I’m not sure I trust the NY Post but I’ll accept it and apologize for my comment. And I thank you for balanced response. I can tell you it bothers me (and most Canadians) when so many Americans (NOT all!) lay the blame on everyone else and conveniently ignore what’s happening on their side of the border. It doesn’t help matters and we need to work as a team because, at this point in history, we really are “all in this together”.
No worries! Things have gone sideways everywhere, and nobody likes to feel like a scapegoat.
You asked about Venezuela and inflation. Our sanctions are killing Venezuela and not just their fiat currency. The dollar is fiat and, once it loses status as a reserve currency, it will also fail. We shut off the bolivar’s international acceptance and its oil distribution because Corporate America wants to take control of their economy again. Our richest families want to control the world and that’s why we are fighting Russia with Ukrainian blood. Putin is a nationalist and American leaders are globalists looking for world domination.
Sorry Bill, the sanctions are mainly addressed towards the thieves looting our country. I don´t have even 20$ in my US account, and I´m not scared of being affected by “sanctions”.
Maybe you don´t know this but there is NO separation of powers at all in this regime. The Central bank OBEYS blindly whatever they are told by the “green team”. That´s the reason why our currency value is fixed by someone typing on a screen and not by actual data (data they don´t have the will nor the means to compile and use because it will be like tying to the ceiling columns the same rope they will end hanging up from). And it is used as a weapon to generate instability in society just like it happens in any communist country. That´s why our economy is a disaster no matter how much we can produce: they will always find the means to choke those one producing to avoid the average citizen accumulating wealth, or otherwise they will lose the grip. Got it now?
There are Turkey/Iran/China/Russia companies laundering the minerals looted from the El Callao region.
Your impression of Putin being a “nationalist” seems heavily biased to me. Facta Non Verba indicates me he´s looking for the rebuilding of the former URSS under a “democracy” disguise. You know already for how long he´s been in power. That´s why they love rubbing elbows with China: they look for the same long term goal. Slaving mankind and stay forever on top. Last time I researched, most of those richest families were Europeans…
To Jose:
All the conspiracy forms have been taken over by the same Russian bots or shills above. No use in educating them they have to say/do what their party members tell them to do or they and perhaps their family goes to prison and suffer.
I’m so sorry to hear this, Jose. My thoughts and prayers will be with you. I’m an American living in Mexico; it’s been a while since I bought canned tuna, but a large can was about $0.49 cents USD. I’m afraid that America is on the same path as Venezuela.
Thanks Corrine. I´m much better than many of my fellow countrymen abroad. Many of them don´t even have a job. The pandemics re-shaped everything, and I considered that a known environment is safer for these years to come. Many things I have planned are finally consolidating, and it has been a huge effort, but at the end of the day the rewards will be enough for a sustainable life. Hyperinflation is ugly, but the conditions now have been the same that for war economy, and we are prepared to face it now.
My wife doesn’t like tuna so we don’t buy it but a can of cat food, smaller than most tuna cans is about $0.60 cents. Some brands are more. I am sure tuna has gone up as well.
“But when a long train of abuses and ursurpations…”
If you don’t know the rest by heart, I urge you to learn it quickly.
Jose, you got it right. It isn’t the sanctions that are the cause of your problems. It’s the nationalizing of industries, communism, and the rampant crime and corruption that are causing the problems. The USA is on the same course just not as far along the path as you are.
David,
At least the US civilians can have guns and an armed force that will respond to reinstate the law and order. Those thugs are looting Venezuela, and stealing the gold and coltan so the Chinese and Russians can build missiles guiding systems to attack the US.
If that is not stopped soon, it will be too late.
-Not Jose.
The problem is if you don’t do anything then you get what’s called ‘scalpers’ that buy the ‘amiibos’ (however you spell them) all up on day 1 then sell them on Ebay for twice maybe three X the MSRP if you can find any.
One person was going to buy a popular Ammibo at day 1 and placed it in his ‘cart’ but had to walk his dog so buy the time he came back it was gone and he never got it.