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[Tripon]

CARACAS, Venezuela -- Like many blue-collar neighborhoods, one barrio outside Caracas once embraced the promises of President Nicolas Maduro, but many here have now turned against him, reports CBS News correspondent Manuel Bojorquez.

Hunger has a way of doing that.


Fernando Contreras says he's lost 40 pounds since the troubles started.

The economic meltdown is at the heart of the political crisis.

More than 120 people have been killed protesting Maduro's power grab. More clashes are expected Thursday as the government's new assembly starts to work that will give Maduro almost unlimited power.

Many wonder how long they can go on like this. An inflation rate of 800 percent has decimated savings. The currency is so devalued that some shopkeepers weigh the money rather than waste time counting it.

And if residents are lucky enough to find food on the shelves, prices are out of sight.

The price for Alexi Asuaje's groceries went up 1,000 Bolivares when he was in line.

Florencia Cordero, a geologist, told Bojorquez that groceries now eat up almost 80 percent of her salary.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/working...hortages/?ftag=CNM-00-10aab7e&linkId=40513306

http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/worki...elas-president-amid-inflation-food-shortages/

 

[Mimosa97]

I still don't understand how he's able to hang onto power. Why is the army still loyal to him? Don't they have families to feed?

Why would anyone still believe in this guy? The country is in ruin already. What are they waiting for to turn against him?

 

[CazTGG]

I still don't understand how he's able to hang onto power. Why is the army still loyal to him? Don't they have families to feed?

Why would anyone still believe in this guy? The country is in ruin already. What are they waiting for to turn against him?

I would hazard a guess that he keeps the army's loyalty by way of "the army gets paid. A lot." I recall reading about how there was a wage hike for their armed forces earlier this year but don't quote me on that.

 

[Orthogonal]

Can the Red Cross do anything to bring in food? Or does Maduro forbid that.

 

[Tripon]

I would hazard a guess that he keeps the army's loyalty by way of "the army gets paid. A lot." I recall reading about how there was a wage hike for their armed forces earlier this year but don't quote me on that.

More like Muduro allows the army to control various contracts with companies and other countries so they can get paid in real world currency with bribes from imports and the like.

Military isn't going to take somebody down while they can still profit from him.

 

[sphagnum]

Maduro ought to serve as a reminder to socialists that the state does not = the working class just because you have the word Socialist in the party's name.

 

[Abilidebob]

I can't wait to see how long it'll take until we get the posts defending him.

 

[water_wendi]

If you are in the US is there any way to help? Even if the direct route has been shut down for the moment are there maybe relief efforts in Brazil for those fleeing?

 

[Nivash]

Maduro ought to serve as a reminder to socialists that the state does not = the working class just because you have the word Socialist in the party's name.

Absolutely. I'd add another reminder to stop falling for charismatic strongmen to the lesson as well. The shit might have hit the fan under Maduro, but Chavez was the one who turned Venezuela onto oil addiction in the first place.

 

[Mimosa97]

I would hazard a guess that he keeps the army's loyalty by way of "the army gets paid. A lot." I recall reading about how there was a wage hike for their armed forces earlier this year but don't quote me on that.

He pays the army with what money? At this rate the venezuelian currency is just paper money. He must have a massive reserve of foreign currency, probably dollars but I don't know how he's able to sustain the cash flow.

Also you can't just buy the loyalty of the armed forces by keeping them well fed. There must be ideological reasons behind their unwavering loyalty.

 

[qcf x2]

I still don't understand how he's able to hang onto power. Why is the army still loyal to him? Don't they have families to feed?

Why would anyone still believe in this guy? The country is in ruin already. What are they waiting for to turn against him?

I mean, if you see the smug looks on the faces of the people in the background when Maduro is giving a speech, it's fairly obvious that they are bought off... just like, you know, most dictatorships (see Pyongyang elite, Cuba's government/military, etc). They are living just fine.

He pays the army with what money? At this rate the venezuelian currency is just paper money. He must have a massive reserve of foreign currency, probably dollars but I don't know how he's able to sustain the cash flow.

Also you can't just buy the loyalty of the armed forces by keeping them well fed. There must be ideological reasons behind their unwavering loyalty.

Probably paying them with the 3 billion dollars they stole from Delta (I think it was Delta) as well as the money they stole from other companies that once did business in Venezuela. You are very naive if you believe your last two statements.

 

[Chumly]

I still don't understand how he's able to hang onto power. Why is the army still loyal to him? Don't they have families to feed?

Why would anyone still believe in this guy? The country is in ruin already. What are they waiting for to turn against him?

Numerous people in the last thread were defending this guy.

 

[Dubbedinenglish]

Also you can't just buy the loyalty of the armed forces by keeping them well fed. There must be ideological reasons behind their unwavering loyalty.

Considering the food scarcity in the country, you absolutely can.