In Venezuelan election, food security - or lack thereof - can turn votes

[Bacchus4.0]

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/venezuelan-election-food-security-lack-thereof-turn-votes-073922767--finance.html


- Venezuelans complain that what goes into their Sunday dinner plate comes from abroad: Steak, from Brazil; plantains, the Dominican Republic; rice, South Africa; Parmesan cheese, Uruguay; oats, Chile. Even coffee, in a country famed for it, often is Colombian.

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"You can't find anything," said Ermis Rodriguez, a 76-year-old retiree who walked away from the chicken legs on offer at a meat stand inside Caracas' bustling Guaicapuro Market. "I voted for Chavez, but I'm not voting for Maduro. Things are getting worse."

Chavez, who died March 5, made agrarian reform a pillar of his "revolution" and vowed to turn Venezuela into a self-sufficient, food-exporting power. His government expropriated 2.3 million hectares (5.7 million acres) of farmland over the last 12 years that he said were misused. He nationalized food-producing companies whose owners he claimed were gouging the people, conspiring against his government, or both. For some products such as rice and coffee, the government-controlled market share has ranged from 40 per cent to 75 per cent.

For the past seven years, Venezuela, a major oil exporter, has seen sporadic shortages of some basic foods like milk and butter. The country of 30 million people still imports nearly 70 per cent of its food. And it has to import products it did not need to before Chavez, including beef, coffee and rice.

-----------------Chavez had promised not to make the same mistakes, but Venezuela's poor have continued to migrate to the cities; deprived of expertise, many expropriated farms produce less and less. Private food makers, large and small, often sell at a loss because of hundreds of price controls that Chavez imposed in a losing fight against runaway inflation. The government controls the foreign currency they need to buy foreign-made pesticides, fertilizers, animal food and machinery.
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Across the way, Rocky Galviz, 42, sells pig feet, cuts of meat and turkey beneath a sign urging shoppers to denounce price gouging to the "Institute for the Defence of People Seeking Goods and Services." Galviz confides he must sell his Brazilian meat at 50 per cent above official prices to make ends meet.
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I wonder if the chavistas here are going to report Mr. Galviz to the pig nazis at the Institute for the Defence of People Seeking Goods and Services.

[naaman fletcher]

1. It's a mess

But Maduro will still win. He won't win re-election though. The price controls really came into effect about a year and a half ago. The next six month will see lines outside of grocery stores. It happens every time price controls come into effect. Meanwhile the government will blame hoarders I.e. mothers who stock up on milk for their babies.

[Bacchus4.0]

2. I tend to agree and actually it would be bad for Capriles and the opposition

if they won. Looks like the country will have to fall into the abyss in order to climb back out.

[naaman fletcher]

3. Of course

A year from now the Chavistas are going to blame Maduro for selling out the revolution. Mark my words.

[Zorro]

4. And Manuro will blame US-backed saboteurs

[Marksman_91]

5. Is it really? I mean, I understand where you're coming from.

But honestly, I think the better option would be if Capriles wins. Sure, he's gonna have a hell of a mess to deal with if he's elected, MUCH worse than the mess that was left for Obama. But if he wins the elections, it would mean that a change of government will finally happen, one that is not hell-bent on dividing the Venezuelan population and will actually present an alternative to an already-failed system. If Capriles wins, it means that the Venezuelan population is ready for a change.

Believe me, nothing would satisfy me more than to see Maduro and the rest of Chávez's leeches pay dearly for all they've done, but to me, the change in government is the priority right now. AFTER that we can worry about going after these so-called "revolutionaries". You'll see, their secrets will start to be revealed, and everyone will know just how deep their corruption went, and how much they filled their pockets with the Venezuelan people's oil money.

Now, don't get me wrong, I still don't think chavismo will last now that Chávez is gone, but I think I'd rather see it lose its power as soon as possible than to see it slowly crumble into the ground. I'd like to go back to my country with the idea that things will finally start to get better instead of worse, that people no longer judge based on whether you're chavista or not, even if that means that the current delinquents in charge take advantage of the situation and flee to Cuba. I'm faithful that justice will catch up with them sooner or later, no matter where they go.

[Bacchus4.0]

6. I'm thinking from a political perspective

things are such a mess currently that Capriles would not be able to show tangible results in a short period of time. More ominously, I simply don't think the chavistas would give up so easily. I think there would be ACTUAL sabotage since we have scene how violently the chavistas behave. They would try to undermine Capriles at every turn. If the chavistas collapse from within the political transfer would be easier.

I understand though that collapse would mean further suffering for the Venezuelan people.