The following was originally published on the Emergency Essential blog.
Venezuela is on the brink of collapse. With food prices skyrocketing, people are struggling to feed their families. Crime is on the rise. Long lines of people wind endlessly around the supermarket in the hopes of securing just the bare necessities. Oftentimes they go home empty handed.
Empty shelves in Venezuela – via ABC News
Citizens are now revolting against the leaders that brought them into this mess.
This report by the Washington Post shows just how delicate the situation is in Venezuela. Led by President Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s socialist-inspired revolution used to provide plenty of government funding to “create a more equal society.”
Looking at what’s happening in Venezuela now, that didn’t work so well.
For a while, things were fine. People thrived, and much of that success was due to their strong oil economy. During the Chávez era, governments helped subsidize mothers in extreme poverty, helped people finish construction on their houses, and even help youth receive scholarships – all great things.
Then the money dried up.
With high prices, food is hard to come by – via Washington Post
Oil prices tanked, and the government-run supermarkets that provided the basics at subsidized prices are practically empty, and due to 700% inflation, even these subsidized supermarkets are forced to sell their goods at exorbitant prices. Food is scarce, many children don’t have the energy to even attend school. One Venezuelan journalist eats only one meal a day which consists of one egg. With empty supermarkets and no hope on the horizon, things are certainly not what the people of Venezuela had expected from their government.
“We’re tired,” said one woman as reported by NBC News, “tired of hunger and humiliation.”
Thousands of people from all across the country gathered in Caracas to protests against the worsening economic crisis. A coup was even attempted, but failed. People want change, because with change comes more access to food. PBS reported that Venezuelans are “losing hope that their government-controlled system will supply key items.”
The situation in Venezuela is a warning to the United States – and every other developed nation. While the U.S. may not be in the same dire straits as they are, a look back can show just how gradual it was. Venezuela prospered for many years. Then, slowly, things worsened, until the food crisis arrived in full swing, increasing its intensity until food was nowhere to be found.
How does one prepare for such a crisis? It can be difficult to predict something like this happening, especially during the good times. But it’s during the good times that we as a people must prepare for the difficult times.
Food prices have soared in Venezuela. A dozen eggs now costs $150, according to the official government pricing. This is where emergency food storage comes into play. No matter what the prices jump to in the future, your food storage maintains its value. In fact, it’s like an investment in that when food prices rise, you’re already prepared so you don’t have to spend $150 on twelve eggs.
Likewise, only eating a few eggs a day will get old fast. By stocking up with food, you can ensure you have the food you actually want to eat, rather than rely on the supermarket to provide you with the very basics, assuming the shelves haven’t been stripped bare by the time you arrive.
Food prices spiking and many different stages of civil unrest can make acquiring food not just difficult, but nearly impossible. Take the time now – before a crisis – to prepare for any emergency scenario.
“Led by President Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s socialist-inspired revolution used to provide plenty of government funding to “create a more equal society.””.
Sound familiar? To create a more equal society, a transfer of wealth, give away programs, more people on welfare than are in the work force, under employment, lack of jobs, secret inflation, disappearance of the middle class, the war on cash, the war on the Second Amendment…..we are closer to Venezuela than people realize.
The crisis in Venezuela has been caused by socialism. The Democrats here in the US preach…”level the playing field, spread the wealth”, Obama is the one that has told us that once you have made a certain amount of money, you’ve made enough. Anything else should be given to the government by taxation according to him. Obamacare is a step in this direction to destroy the insurance industry and end up with a single pay or single source of medical services which is socialism at it’s worse. The many new reg’s coming out of the EPA and other alphabet agencies all are aimed at regulating how you live and gradually taking over the land and ultimately agriculture in this country. Food production, power production (elimination of coal) and medical care gives the government full control of your life. We’re getting there pretty quick. Obama has really kicked the effort into high gear. Hillary will complete it. Our country is on the precipice and we all need to stand and be heard.
Venezuela has gone the way of Rhodesia, a perfect example of failed socialism.
Once both these countries were the jewels of there hemisphere, now they’re the poster child of failure. America is well on it’s way down the this same rabbit hole
Another thing to take from this article is that this collapse started a couple years ago during the end of Chavez reign and new president took over. It’s been a couple years in the making, started slow at first and now is gaining speed – does that sound familiar? How many of us are really set up to sustain ourselves to get through a collapse that may take multi-years to occur? Or to be smart enough to stay ahead of the tidal wave? There are a lot of things to take from Venezuela’s collapse in progress but also from Argentina.
How many lessons do we need from the rest of the world before we wake up?
“WE” have already awoken, for many and the powers that be will never awaken because they’re in their constant fog of their own self absorption making themselves rich and powerful. It’s up to us, the survivalists/preppers however you identify with to prepare at our own local level, national level is hosed we just need to stop thinking national and start thinking local. Even if that’s just with a couple people on your street.
Socialism works until all of the capitalist gendered surplus is spent.
PR
Socialism is always touted as a superior form of government. .. by leadership that will own and run it.. It never works out for the mules pulling the wagon.
You can be assured that the socialist leaders -Chavez etc. arent hungry. Lightning
We are in trouble – 8 years of hillary will bring us to disaster or revolution. A reset is on the horizon. – Keep Looking UP