Venezuela - Impressions from a poor rich country
I recently met a german speaking Steemian who lives and works in the country since 1997 as a small entrepreneur. Unlike people here on Steemit, he has to fear actual censorship and real bad consequences, if the venezuelan authorities find out about what he does, not just some whale downvotes.
That`s why I am correcting and translating what he sends me and he gets all the SBD the post produce and puts them to work in Venezuela. Here is the german version of this text.
After 17 years of planned economy, the socialists finally managed to reduce the currency to toilet paper. That`s not because the people have too much of it, but rather that the paper is turning out to be more valuable than the numbers printed on it.
Welcome to Venezuela
After years and years of Petrodollars filling the pockets of the socialist elite instead of being spent on infrastructure etc., the whole country lies in shambles.
The economies' decay accelerates inflation and crime at a frigthening rate. Prices are rising faster than income and robbery and theft are more and more common. In Caracas, the capital of murder, on average every 28 minutes a person gets killed.
The government debt burden is crushing and the lack of foreign reserves results in growing food scarcity. State sponsored alimentation programs are being cut down due to the lack of funds and the population is starving.
Waiting in line for food is an everyday routine by now and the population is too weakened to revolt.
The 100 Bolivar note is the largest denomination available, and that corresponds to roughly 10 Cent USD.
The government is so broke, they do not even have the foreign reserves to pay for the printing of new money abroad.
These circumstances bring hopelessness and despair over the country. Everything is paralized. But the government still marches down its socialist path and does not want to change. Instead, as usual they blame everything on the USA and bad bad capitalism.
Hospitals are in a medieval state and have a hard time keeping basic operations running, because of constant power failures and lack of medicine. Every day, hundreds of people day, especially new born babies.
Venezuela has the world's largest proven oil reserves and has proven once again, that Socialism even manages to run out of sand in the desert. Good night.
I live and work in Venezuela since 1997 and I never thought such a dramatic decay was even possible.
PS by @fabio:
Steemit shines some ray of hope on Venezuela already
such a shame ...
A lot of the problems stem from the BS propaganda and the censorship of the press/media and the failing educational system which has spoon fed the non-functional ideology to the masses by corrupted populists and demagogues.
I find it so stupid when resources are there but money is the main problem. People need to stop relying on governments and take things into their own hands. This is ridiculous.
That`s why we are here ;-)
The problem in Venezuela and a lot of other South american countries is the corruption and the military, most of the money for projects ends there......
It's a big problem. More people should definitely move to crypto.
This gives a better insight to your story. Thanks for posting.
@fabio, this is a real and sad situation, that country needs a different goverment, after that, the real life will come back for those population.
Venezuela is one of the most riches countries in all the world, the principal reasson: its own reservations oil... but is sad to see the corruption in that bad president, and is most sad, to know than he´s Colombian (like me)...
I hope see a better Venezuela soon. Grettings from Colombia.
Terrifying. What would snap this?
Thats the 100 million dollar question.... At the moment it doesnt look like there will be any change at all.
It is all about government all over the world. If it would be about natural resorces, Europe should die of hunger at once.
Yeah I really feel sorry for the citizens of Venezuela and how they are suffering worse and worse each day. I really hope some kind of miracle can happen. Especially this happening in the Western Hemisphere is totally unacceptable. I pray for Venezuela.
A few hours ago I have posted about Venezuela too
https://steemit.com/politics/@valtr/venezuela-s-road-to-literal-serfdom
that sad. anyway nice post