Venezuela Is More Fucked Than Ever
Venezuela, one of the world’s least successful nations, is seriously fucked. How much more fucked is Venzuela since the last time we told you how fucked Venzuela is?
Amid the manmade economic disaster that is Venezuela, residents are now contending with natural disasters as well, including drought, forest fires, and a dust-filled smog blanketing the capital city of Caracas. Unfortunately, much of the nation’s electricity is provided by hydroelectric dams, so the drought has also led to a national electricity crisis. Unable to actually generate more electricity, the president has resorted to declaring national holidays, shortening the work week to four days, and changing the country’s time zone in a desperate attempt to grab more daylight. The economic crisis has caused both telephone and television providers to halt service, leaving Venezuelans with little to do except sit around in the dark. A recent meeting of major oil nations failed to produce an agreement to slow down production to increase prices, meaning Venezuela’s economy will be stuck in the toilet for the foreseeable future. On top of that, international corporations like General Mills, Liberty Mutual, and Halliburton are pulling out of the country and taking desperately needed jobs with them. There is also a medicine shortage of critical proportions. There is also a water shortage of critical proportions. There is also a food shortage of critical proportions. The president’s political party continues to crush its opposition through legal and extra-legal means, increasing the national sense of frustration. The Supreme Court has upheld human rights abuses. In response to rampant violent crime, government security forces have “have allegedly razed neighborhoods, engaged in mass detentions and deportations, and murdered suspects.” A newspaper publisher has been sentenced to four years in prison for investigative reporting. Protesters are killing police officers. Gangsters are killing gold miners. A thief in Caracas was burned to death by an angry mob.
