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Page added on June 17, 2016
Deaths, arrests as looting erupts in Venezuela
Venezuelan police have arrested hundreds of people as the country’s food crisis erupted into deadly looting this week, heightening hardship and political uncertainty in the impoverished oil-producing nation.
Dozens of bakeries, supermarkets and hardware shops were looted on Tuesday in the eastern city of Cumana, the latest flashpoint in a crisis that has killed at least four people so far.
“It ended in total ruin because the businesses had not only their stock pillaged but also their furniture. It was total destruction,” said Ruben Saud, president of the Cumana Chamber of Commerce.
The chaos started when gangs of looters on motorcycles raided trucks transporting food, witnesses said.
The governor of Sucre state, where Cumana is located, told state television channel VTV that “more than 400 people” were arrested, including three suspected gang leaders involved in the looting.
Arrests have also been reported in other towns.
– Blaming the opposition –
The opposition blames President Nicolas Maduro for an economic crisis in which Venezuelans are suffering shortages of basic foods and goods.
Maduro in turn blames the crisis on an “economic war” allegedly waged against his leftist government by the business elite.
He accuses the opposition of fomenting unrest to spark a foreign intervention to unseat him.
Maduro is resisting efforts from his center-right opponents to remove him from office through a referendum, and warned he will not tolerate violence.
Late Thursday he announced his latest challenge to the opposition-controlled National Assembly.
He called on the Supreme Court to launch proceedings against the legislature for abusing its powers.
Maduro’s ally in Sucre, Acuna, on Thursday accused the opposition of “sowing paramilitary values, such as hate and crime, in some citizens.”
The army was sent in to keep order in Cumana after Tuesday’s outbreak of looting, which erupted during a protest against food shortages.
Acuna said Cumana “has been returning to normal” since.
Elsewhere, a 17-year-old boy died after being wounded at a similar protest Wednesday in the western town of Lagunilla, authorities said.
– Motorcycle raiders –
Venezuela is suffering an economic crisis brought on by the plunge in global crude prices over the past two years. The country is heavily dependant on its oil exports.
At least four people have died in disturbances in recent days, according to the state prosecution service.
A soldier and a police officer were detained over two of the deaths, authorities said.
Human rights groups put the death toll from the latest wave of unrest at five, including a 42-year-old man they say died during the disturbances in Cumana.
There “most of the looting was organized by motorcycle gangs. Then the local people followed,” said Estelin Kristen, leader of rights group Incide.
The Venezuelan Social Conflict Observatory recorded more than 250 looting incidents across the country in the first five months of the year. The number peaked in May.
– Food deliveries –
Under emergency measures already in place, civilian groups have been assigned to hand out food rations door to door.
The opposition however says that the system favors Maduro’s supporters.
The president has warned that he may decree emergency measures if confronted with actions amounting to a “violent coup.”
Such measures would likely prevent the recall referendum taking place.
Rafael Uzcategui of human rights group Provea warned that the president’s inflexibility could result in even worse tensions if he blocks the recall vote.
“What is currently preventing a general explosion of social unrest is the possibility that people can make their voices heard by means such as a referendum,” he told AFP.
“Not allowing a referendum would unleash a very serious situation.”
53 Comments on "Deaths, arrests as looting erupts in Venezuela"
Sheval on Fri, 17th Jun 2016 2:05 pm
sic semper socialista
Apneaman on Fri, 17th Jun 2016 2:15 pm
Keiser Report: America at War with Itself
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYHPUpKFHNk&t=12m30s
Hello on Fri, 17th Jun 2016 3:02 pm
Doomers: Make sure you read this a few times. Do you still think you and your Glock with a few clips can hold off a looting rampaging gang?
Apneaman on Fri, 17th Jun 2016 3:58 pm
Hello, I take your point, but not all doomers are preppers and not all preppers are the hyper paranoid guns N ammo type.
Almost no one in the English speaking countries really gives a shit about these people. These articles just provide a way for the true believer capitalists to gloat for a couple of minutes and ignore the fact that they could be next any day. This time next year merica could be 10 times worse than Venezuela today.
The corporate state cares as much about Joe six pack as Joe six pack cares about his Venezuelan counter part.
All us Joe six packs are disposable to the elite and everyday more (quietly) find that out the hard way.
yoshua on Fri, 17th Jun 2016 5:27 pm
There has been an increase in failed economies and failed states after the financial crisis. The next global financial crisis will be magnitudes worse than the last one.
sidzepp on Fri, 17th Jun 2016 6:09 pm
Doubling the world’s population in half a century without any regards to sustainability has opened a myriad of problems from a the proverbial Pandora’s Box. As we witness the total collapse in Syria, Venezuela and countless other places in the world, they all point to the last gasp attempts of a failed global Capitalist economic system that is desperately attempting to hold control of their vassalage for a few more years.
Yet as we watch crisis after crisis emerge and countries turning inward and yearning for the good old days that are more myth than fact, all we do is sit back and watch the mayhem grown.
Just witness the ongoing Donnie, Hillary and Bernie show we have been entertained with for almost a year. They all preach false hopes to a brainwashed constituency that is looking for answer in an increasingly fragile world.
We are past the point of ideological rhetoric and need people who can rise above the fray to offer viable alternatives if we are to continue to survive as a species.
dave thompson on Fri, 17th Jun 2016 6:31 pm
The failed state is us SHUT IT DOWN! Say home fuck work get to know your next door neighbor!!!!!!!!!! Come on people we will rise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Plantagenet on Fri, 17th Jun 2016 7:00 pm
Things have been going downhill in Venezuela ever since Chavez started this socialism stuff. Now Maduro in running the country into the ground.
Mass migration from Venezuela to the US should be starting any time now.
Socialismo O muerte!
makati1 on Fri, 17th Jun 2016 7:20 pm
Plant, you live in a socialist/fascist country. Do you want me to list all of the social programs that ensure most American’s are on the government teat? Even you. Most everything you reply on is subsidized by your taxes. If that is not socialism, what is?
makati1 on Fri, 17th Jun 2016 7:25 pm
If Venezuela could print their money like the Us can, and does, they could print money and end their problems. The Us prints a trillion dollars a year to pay off it’s citizens with free stuff. That too will end soon.
If you think the riots there (Venezuela) are bad, stop the SNAP (food stamp) dole for a week and find out just how quick and how bad it will be in the Us when that happens in reality. (And it will.) Venezuela will seem like a fun party in comparison when ~50 million Americans take to the streets.
Hello on Fri, 17th Jun 2016 8:59 pm
makati1: If Venezuela could print their money like the Us can, and does, they could print money and end their problems
I congratulate you for one of the most stupid things ever written here. This statement alone shows once and for all that you’re a moron beyond redemption.
Davy on Fri, 17th Jun 2016 9:13 pm
Where is that Bric bank when you need it?
“Rio Declares State Of “Public Calamity”, Warns Of Total Collapse In Security, Health And Transport”
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-06-17/rio-declares-state-public-calamity-warns-total-collapse-security-health-and-transpor
“Rio state government declared a state of “public calamity” (yes, that’s the technical term) warning of a risk of total collapse in public security, health, transport and virtually everything else, because as the local government explained, the financial crisis is preventing it from fulfilling its requirements for the Games.”
“In other words, the money is gone… all gone, and as we jokingly predicted some time ago, as a result of the ongoing economic and now political catastrophe in the country, the 2016 Oympics may never even happen in the country gripped by what may be the worst depression in its history. Oh, and then the whole Zika thing.”
As Bruce Douglas adds, the Rio state government fears “total collapse in public security, health, education, mobility, education, environment” due to financial crisis, and that Rio de Janeiro “will adopt exceptional necessary measures to rationalize all public services, with the aim of realizing the [Olympic] Games.”
makati1 on Fri, 17th Jun 2016 9:21 pm
Hello, you are showing your ignorance of how things actually work in America. The National Debt increases over $1 Trillion per year. Where does that go? To pay the bills of course. Welfare, Social Security, Food Stamps, military, etc. And they do “print” that much every year, or more. Have for the last 8 years or so at least. They have “printed” over $500 billion already this year. Look it up.
http://www.usdebtclock.org/
Davy on Fri, 17th Jun 2016 9:35 pm
“Who Owns the U.S. National Debt?”
http://useconomy.about.com/od/monetarypolicy/f/Who-Owns-US-National-Debt.htm
“The U.S. debt is more than $19 trillion. Most headlines focus on how much the U.S. owes China, which is one of the largest foreign owners. Fewer people know that the Social Security Trust Fund, aka your retirement money, owns most of the national debt.”
Apneaman on Fri, 17th Jun 2016 10:44 pm
Finally, some political action everyone can get “behind”.
World’s Largest ‘Fart-In’ Is Planned for Hillary Clinton’s Acceptance Speech in Philadelphia
http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/worlds_largest_fart-in_planned_for_hillary_clintons_acceptance_speech_in_ph
James Tipper on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 12:56 am
Coming to first and or second world country near you!
Truth Has A Liberal Bias on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 1:42 am
I’ve got enough guns and ammo to kit out a platoon. Plus I’ve got a huge forested retreat in the mountains full of trout and deer/elk/moose. I’ve got a large family and plenty of friends in my network too so we can all watch each others backs and take turns on sentry. All you fucking loser retards should look at the pictures of the starving masses in Venezuela because that’ll be you pretty soon. Retards.
Davy on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 6:07 am
“Not True”, what you don’t have is what is the most important variable and that is proper attitude. This proper attitude starts with humility because what is going to visit us all will destroy people in ways as much mental as physical. Someday remember what I said right here right now or better yet make a conversion to reality.
Anyone who thinks being a tough guy in this situation coming needs to reflect on anyone here that has gone into battle. I have not gone into battle but I have had several close calls with near death experiences that tamed my hubris. The start of it all is in the deepest recesses of your ego and from there you should build a foundation for the future.
yoshua on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 6:24 am
Venezuela
Fiscal break even $120.
Oil company break even $60.
Pumping cost $12.
Venezuela gets $40 for its oil.
So Venezuela still has a positive cash flow of $28 per barrel… if they only could ramp up more debt to pay oil service companies for exploration and drilling… and to take on more debt to service oil debt.
Davy on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 6:37 am
Yosh, once stability is gone it does not return without a destructive process running its course. Venezuela is too far into a collapsing state and social fabric. The attitude of the government is too insular to allow needed reform. Without needed reform and physical and legal protection no company not even the Chinese will go in there. The place is a black hole of destructive trends. Venezuela will need to hit rock bottom and once the air clears rebuild. Unfortunately for them or maybe fortunately by the time this process has played out the rest of the global economy will be in a worse condition. So depending on how you look at it Venezuela is facing the end of ever seeing the status quo of a relative prosperity. What they may see is a crash crisis that forces change and adaptation many other places will still have facing them. In some ways Venezuela may be at an advantage collapsing in a functioning global economy. I would have to clarify that because it will depend on how much infrastructure is destroyed in the coming months there. What all states need to avoid is a destructive process that destroys too much.
yoshua on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 7:00 am
… and to take on more debt to service old debt.
savasana on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 7:04 am
Just want to add, the weather has been dry in Venezuela for some time now. This seems to be a pattern along the equator with big migrations of people. Maybe a wall would be helpful. Not a Trumper here.
yoshua on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 7:09 am
Davy… some nation simply can’t be allowed to collapse. The uncontrolled destruction of nations with nuclear plants would destroy life on this blue planet.
I don’t know how much energy would disappear from the global economy if we closed down all nuclear plants today… but at some point we should start to think about it since we just can’t let multiple Fukushima’s take place if there is a sudden collapse of the entire global economy.
Kenz300 on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 7:12 am
Too many people……….create too much pollution and demand too many resources….
China made great progress in moving its people out of poverty…….one reason was slowing population growth…..
If you can not provide for yourself you can not provide for a child.
CLIMATE CHANGE, declining fish stocks, droughts, floods, air water and land pollution, poverty, water and food shortages all stem from the worlds worst environmental problem……. OVER POPULATION.
Yet the world adds 80 million more mouths to feed, clothe, house and provide energy and water for every year… this is unsustainable… and is a big part of the Climate Change problem
Birth Control Permanent Methods: Learn About Effectiveness
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/birth_control_permanent_methods/article_em.htm
savasana on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 7:24 am
Kenz, overpopulation is the elephant in the room, a room full of people with blinders.
makati1 on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 7:32 am
yoshua, Venezuela is busy shipping oil to China to pay their old debt which is payable in oil, not dollars. Since the price of oil is about 1/3 what it was when the debt was arranged, they have to ship about 3 times as much to pay the bill. That is one reason China has an increase in oil imports and why the tankers there are waiting to unload into every container China can find. I suspect that China will soon renegotiate that loan so the oil flow slows down. lol
marmico on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 7:47 am
… and to take on more debt to service old debt.
Are you and everyone else in your cohort doing that? There is data, there is anecdote.
When are the school children going to snicker when the back of the headmistress Turdberg is turned to either the right or left on the road to perdition?
When are the face to face giggles with the headmistress commonplace?
When do the belly laughs begin?
Tick Tock
yoshua on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 8:14 am
marmica… it’s called Ponzi Finance… that’s what we have been living on since 2008.
The belly laughs begin when we all go belly up… and ends when power grid goes down and our nukes start to melt.
makati1 on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 8:38 am
yoshua, there are no special countries that cannot fail. None. Nukes don’t count.
There are 39 countries with nuclear reactors. The largest (over 10) are:
USA (#1 Debtor nation)
Russia
China
Japan (Failed economy)
India
Germany (not looking good)
France (ditto)
Canada
UK
Ukraine (hot spot for war)
Sweden
Spain (financial problems)
S. Korea
Which ones cannot be allowed to fail?
yoshua on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 8:44 am
makati1… none of those 39 countries can be allowed to fail… until the nukes are closed and cooled down… then we can let go of them.
makati1 on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 9:01 am
That will never happen. The nukes will not be shut down until they are totally unprofitable. When the financial system collapses, all countries will be vulnerable.
“Nuclear power plants generate 14 percent of the world’s electricity, but some countries are more dependent on this power source than others. France relies on nuclear for 75.2 percent of its electricity; the United States, about 20 percent. And while China gets just 1.9 percent of their electricity from nuclear (the lowest proportion of any nuclear country) it plans to boost the number of nuclear power plants in operation by over 1,000 percent by 2020.”
http://www.npr.org/2011/05/16/136288669/a-nuclear-powered-world
yoshua on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 9:12 am
That’s the sad state of affairs that we are in. It takes a disaster for us to wake up… and then it’s usually too late.
Davy on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 9:19 am
Makati Bill, get a grip on systematic integration and while you are at it discard you BRIC rhetoric all of which represent rose colored glasses. There are countries to big to fail and the NUK countries are even more critical in this equation because of systematic risk. BTW, China is the number 1 country with the highest debt to GDP at 350%. Much of that is internal but much of the US is internal also.
Cloud9 on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 9:32 am
What is going on is no secret!
Elements within the governments and worlds militaries have understood the process since the seventies. They have planned accordingly. We have reached the upper limits of complexity. Our energy systems have plateaued. http://fortune.com/2016/02/02/oil-firms-slash-costs/
Entropy is gaining ground. We are devolving into levels of less energy development and lower levels of complexity. Our economic and political systems were not built on a paradigm of economic and political contraction. These systems cannot continue as established. Rising unemployment and a declining tax base is resulting in collapsed monetary systems and collapsed political systems.
The collapse at the core is being hidden by transfer payments and creative bookkeeping. The collapse on the periphery is there for all to see. Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela are mere symptoms of a worldwide dynamic of devolution. The diaspora out of North Africa and the Middle East are but a prelude of what happens when states fail. Environmental, economic and political refugees are the real life manifestation of the golden horde fleeing failed systems.
This is why the deep state has fled to Utah and a massive domestic army under the guise of Home Land Security was created. Go back and listen to Obama’s campaign speeches. His handlers were prepping us for the creation of this force. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt2yGzHfy7s
According to Forbes, Home Land Security has purchased 1.6 billion rounds of ammunition. This is enough ammunition to fight a hot war for 20 years. This ammunition is 40 caliber hollow point, designed for pistols and submachine guns. It is designed to be used exclusively against the civilian population. The military is precluded from using hollow point ammunition under international law. In addition to the pistol and submachinegun ammunition many more millions of rounds of rifle and heavy machinegun ammunition have been purchased by DHS. In addition to ammunition and small arms purchases, DHS has assembled an armored force of 2,717 vehicles. Clearly Home Land Security is gearing up for a domestic war. http://www.forbes.com/sites/ralphbenko/2013/03/11/1-6-billion-rounds-of-ammo-for-homeland-security-its-time-for-a-national-conversation/#4a5c7be55e01
Elements within the deep state have been warning the population to prepare for the zombie apocalypse for several years. https://www.yahoo.com/news/seriously-government-warns-citizens-zombie-apocalypse-urge-better-230018621.html
The Department of Defense has drawn up battle plans to deal with a zombie apocalypse. http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/16/politics/pentagon-zombie-apocalypse/
We all know that a zombie is the walking dead. A very popular TV show by the same name has been hammering that concept home for the last five years. A cursory review of the term walking dead reveals a spoof, an oxymoron. Everyone knows the dead do not walk. So, we dismiss the term as a horror fantasy that will never happen. Not so fast my friends. If it is a spoof, why are elements within the deep state wasting so much time and money preparing for it? Maybe, we the people have not been given the whole phrase. Consider this: If we rephrase the walking dead and state it as the walking soon to be dead, then the phrase and the billions spent on preparations make sense.
The word zombie is a metaphor for the walking soon to be dead, disenfranchised, dispossessed, dislocated, desperate, demographic that cannot be sustained by a collapsing system.
Look to your families and heed the advice of DHS.
onlooker on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 9:39 am
yep high up and wealthy have been preparing for collapse dieoff for some time now. I think hastening it ie. lookup World wide vaccinations-Bill Gates/India and Chemtrails
Davy on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 9:50 am
How high up Onlooker?
Davy on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 9:58 am
Cloud you are too gracious to TPTB. For the most part governments and many of the Elites are inept and completely unprepared for what is coming. There are some that are properly prepared but these are a fraction of the total.
Even with those who are prepared how prepared can you be for what is coming. As is the case with Doomers and preppers there is only so much that can be done. The biggest part of preparation is the luck of the draw. If you are not prepared then getting lucky is that much harder.
I have heard all the things you highlighted above and most is old news. I am not impressed with any governments I have seen. Much of the global militaries are substandard also. Most everyone is going to be in this together.
Boat on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 10:07 am
German minister warns Nato against ‘
warmongering’
Nato has carried out a 10-day exercise simulating a Russian attack on Poland.
The drill, which ended on Friday, involved about 31,000 troops, as well as fighter jets, ships and 3,000 vehicles.
The only troops outside the US should be for Navy docks and air force infrastructure. Only if paid 100 percent of the cost by the host nation. All this spending is not sustainable.
In modern warfare ground troops, tanks, ground artillery etc are sitting ducks and indefensible. More stupid spending. This is the age of controlling the sky. Drones controlled from long distance the fighting force.
These war games are like flashing gang signs at a high price They accomplish little. A simple text would do. For example. XI, after much deliberation we have decided having any military base in The South China Seas shipping lanes is destabilizing to the region and the world. If any base exists in June 2017 any and all structure will be leveled.
Boat on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 10:24 am
Prepping by the rich does create huge carbon sinks. They need runways for their planes. A build up in weapons and staff. Huge infrastructure for food and fortified housing. But hey, if you have a few billion these costs are chump change.
Plantagenet on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 10:28 am
@Mak
Your claim that Venezuela can’t print money is silly.
Of course Venezuela can print money—–in fact thats one of their problems. The idiot socialists running the government there have printed so much money that the inflation rate in Venezuela is 180% this year.
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/venezuela/inflation-cpi
180% inflation this year!!!
Get it now?
Cheers!
onlooker on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 10:32 am
Davy, the ruling matrix high up. They are have been looking to set up their one world govt but I think probably 3 things have hampered their plans. One non cooperation by China/Russia, two, the speed of downfall, three, incompetence/greed, their subordinates are too busy looting the system to allow for smooth transition to 1 World govt. In the meantime some of you are the few and between who doing their own personal preparationgs
makati1 on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 10:38 am
Really? And how does the US print even more money every year but there is no inflation according to the US government? Yet, about 1/3 of US government bills are paid with printed money every year. Every year. Interesting.
onlooker on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 10:52 am
They are hiding inflation Mak with even even more printing. Like paying credit cards with additional credit. When this merry go round of credit stops , the House of cards will come tumbling down
Davy on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 10:59 am
Onlooker, not critisisizing just curious your idea of where wealth achieves elite status.
Davy on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 11:07 am
Makati Bill, you do realize we are in a deflationary environment now or do you understand the difference? Official inflation numbers are bogus but that does not mean everything is inflated. Some inflation is high and in some areas we have dangerous deflation overall. Actually both are related systematically. Both represent economic distortions.
Makati Bill, you need to study up on the basics some. What you are doing is playing the anti-American agenda game that distorts your world view. You can never know the subtleties being an extremist.
Safe on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 11:38 am
Yeah Socialism, you go girl?
Ooops, you fainted from hunger.
onlooker on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 12:05 pm
Good question Davy. I would say if the factoid I heard that 62 people control half the world’s wealth is correct that that certainly delineates them with commensurate elite/power status
Davy on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 12:42 pm
Onlooker, it is a tough question and when I have time I am going to do some research into the subject. I think it is important to know at what level is wealth parasitic to the welfare of our social fabric.
shortonoil on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 1:18 pm
“I don’t know how much energy would disappear from the global economy if we closed down all nuclear plants today “
Doing a quick back of the envelope calculation; taking 342 1000 MW plants, running 85% of the time the gross energy production is equal to 127 million barrels of oil annually. Assuming oil’s use at an efficiency at 20% vs electricity at 80%, places that 127 mb figure at 508 million barrels per year. That is about 1.5% of the energy presently being supplied by oil.
The risk of using it is hardly worth the benefit!
Considering the possibility of a calamity where humans would lose control of some of, or all of those 342 plants, the risk reward curve goes off the chart.
onlooker on Sat, 18th Jun 2016 1:25 pm
I think Davy what allows parasitic wealth is its nexus with power. Because of the centrality of money in all areas of human interest this unhealthy conjoining was bound to occur. Ultimately, though it reflects human vulnerabilities with regard to pleasure , social status and self affirmation. Some especially vulnerable people becoming addicted to said motivations. In fact certain families and social classes ie. especially Royalty both defined by these impulses and being under their sway