Venezuelan Crisis Escalates as President’s Economic Plans Fuel Tensions

[Dashinka 24,758]

Socialism at its finest.

 

By

Kejal Vyas and

Ryan Dube

Ryan Dube

The Wall Street Journal

•  
• BiographyRyan Dube
• ryan.dube@wsj.com

Aug. 19, 2018 8:01 p.m. ET

 

CARACAS, Venezuela—The exodus of Venezuelans gained pace as the government’s plans to address the collapsing economy fueled anxiety, while tensions grew in neighboring countries that have strained to absorb refugees.

Over the weekend, Venezuela’s battered business sector warned that President Nicolás Maduro’s plans—including a leap in the minimum wage, new taxes and a currency devaluation—would paralyze the economy and drive more people out. About 2.3 million have fled since 2014, according to United Nations estimates.

Meanwhile, a mob burned a refugee camp in Brazil on Saturday in retaliation for a robbery purportedly committed by four Venezuelans, prompting that country’s president, Michel Temer, to order 120 troops to the troubled border. In Ecuador, the government on Saturday began requiring Venezuelans to have a passport, which are nearly impossible to obtain. Peru said it would follow suit after police arrested five Venezuelan men accused of planning a bank robbery.

Colombia, which has taken in about one million Venezuelans, is awaiting the arrival of a U.S. Navy hospital ship, the Comfort, to provide Venezuelans medical treatment.

For many who remain, it seems as if Venezuela is splitting at the seams. Rolling blackouts have crimped oil output, energy consultants said. Heavy rains, meanwhile, have devastated the south and west near Colombia, leaving some villages under water and residents pleading with government officials for help.

Venezuela’s opposition, its leaders at odds over how to deal with the crisis, joined with representatives of some oil workers’ unions to call for a national strike on Tuesday, the day Mr. Maduro’s economic measures are to take effect.

“Tuesday’s call is the first step to unify the people in the struggle,” Andres Velasquez, a prominent opposition politician, said on Sunday. “Maduro’s measures are not meant to improve the economy but instead represent more hunger and poverty.”

Another opposition politician, Maria Corina Machado, said in an interview that Venezuelans and regional governments needed to step up the pressure on Mr. Maduro. If nothing is done, she said of the government: “They can annihilate us and impose their mafia state.”

Still, Mr. Maduro has weathered protests in his tumultuous five years in power, cracking down on demonstrators with such fury that few now dare to protest.

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/venezuelan-crisis-escalates-as-presidents-economic-plans-fuel-tensions-1534723307?mod=hp_lead_pos5

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

47 minutes ago, Bill & Katya said:

Socialism at its finest.

 

By

Kejal Vyas and

Ryan Dube

Ryan Dube

The Wall Street Journal

•  
• BiographyRyan Dube
• ryan.dube@wsj.com

Aug. 19, 2018 8:01 p.m. ET

 

CARACAS, Venezuela—The exodus of Venezuelans gained pace as the government’s plans to address the collapsing economy fueled anxiety, while tensions grew in neighboring countries that have strained to absorb refugees.

Over the weekend, Venezuela’s battered business sector warned that President Nicolás Maduro’s plans—including a leap in the minimum wage, new taxes and a currency devaluation—would paralyze the economy and drive more people out. About 2.3 million have fled since 2014, according to United Nations estimates.

Meanwhile, a mob burned a refugee camp in Brazil on Saturday in retaliation for a robbery purportedly committed by four Venezuelans, prompting that country’s president, Michel Temer, to order 120 troops to the troubled border. In Ecuador, the government on Saturday began requiring Venezuelans to have a passport, which are nearly impossible to obtain. Peru said it would follow suit after police arrested five Venezuelan men accused of planning a bank robbery.

Colombia, which has taken in about one million Venezuelans, is awaiting the arrival of a U.S. Navy hospital ship, the Comfort, to provide Venezuelans medical treatment.

For many who remain, it seems as if Venezuela is splitting at the seams. Rolling blackouts have crimped oil output, energy consultants said. Heavy rains, meanwhile, have devastated the south and west near Colombia, leaving some villages under water and residents pleading with government officials for help.

Venezuela’s opposition, its leaders at odds over how to deal with the crisis, joined with representatives of some oil workers’ unions to call for a national strike on Tuesday, the day Mr. Maduro’s economic measures are to take effect.

“Tuesday’s call is the first step to unify the people in the struggle,” Andres Velasquez, a prominent opposition politician, said on Sunday. “Maduro’s measures are not meant to improve the economy but instead represent more hunger and poverty.”

Another opposition politician, Maria Corina Machado, said in an interview that Venezuelans and regional governments needed to step up the pressure on Mr. Maduro. If nothing is done, she said of the government: “They can annihilate us and impose their mafia state.”

Still, Mr. Maduro has weathered protests in his tumultuous five years in power, cracking down on demonstrators with such fury that few now dare to protest.

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/venezuelan-crisis-escalates-as-presidents-economic-plans-fuel-tensions-1534723307?mod=hp_lead_pos5

I actually have this already pulled up on my computer ready to read sometime today when I have time. But there is another big issue that happened late last week by both Peru and Ecuador that is causing a big ripple effect in South America. Those two countries are now requiring that ANY Venezuelans wishing to enter their countries have a passport, unlike before where they only required a ID. So of course Colombia is up in arms about this because a lot of the Venezuelans were going through Colombia onward to Ecuador and Peru, and now they are stuck in Colombia. 

 

Authorities in Peru announced Friday that they will follow Ecuador's recent decision to require Venezuelans reaching the border to enter with a passport, a document that has grown increasingly difficult to obtain in Venezuela.The decision drew an immediate rebuke from authorities in Colombia, which has become a gateway for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans leaving their homeland. Many are crossing through the Andean nation on their way to other places in Latin America.Though his own country already imposed its own often ignored entry requirements for Venezuelans, Colombia Migration Director Christian Kruger warned that the new passport rule in neighboring Ecuador could create a bottleneck at the Rumichaca International Bridge connecting the two countries. Officials estimate over 4,000 Venezuelans crossed from Colombia into Ecuador each day over the bridge earlier this month.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/08/ecuador-passport-rules-leave-hundreds-venezuelans-hopeless-180819215312106.html

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/08/17/peru-ecuador-tighten-requirements-for-venezuela-migrants.html

According to the UN, an estimated 2.3 million Venezuelans have fled the country since 2014, when oil prices suddenly dropped. Venezuela is now suffering from hyperinflation as it continues to reel from food and medical shortages, as well as a political crisis that has left much of the country polarized. Since July, more than 4,000 Venezuelans have passed from Colombia to Ecuador across the Rumichaca border crossing a day, according to Colombia's migration authority. While many South American countries offered to take those fleeing economic hardship or political persecution, Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno told local media on Saturday that "everything has a limit". He added that Venezuelans without passports "simply will not be allowed to come in". 

 

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

Sean and Bernie should ride to the rescue 

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

[Dashinka 24,758]

4 minutes ago, Satisfied said:

Surprised we are not seeing more migration over the Atacama and Andes to Chile. 

[Dashinka 24,758]

2 hours ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

I actually have this already pulled up on my computer ready to read sometime today when I have time. But there is another big issue that happened late last week by both Peru and Ecuador that is causing a big ripple effect in South America. Those two countries are now requiring that ANY Venezuelans wishing to enter their countries have a passport, unlike before where they only required a ID. So of course Colombia is up in arms about this because a lot of the Venezuelans were going through Colombia onward to Ecuador and Peru, and now they are stuck in Colombia. 

 

Authorities in Peru announced Friday that they will follow Ecuador's recent decision to require Venezuelans reaching the border to enter with a passport, a document that has grown increasingly difficult to obtain in Venezuela.The decision drew an immediate rebuke from authorities in Colombia, which has become a gateway for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans leaving their homeland. Many are crossing through the Andean nation on their way to other places in Latin America.Though his own country already imposed its own often ignored entry requirements for Venezuelans, Colombia Migration Director Christian Kruger warned that the new passport rule in neighboring Ecuador could create a bottleneck at the Rumichaca International Bridge connecting the two countries. Officials estimate over 4,000 Venezuelans crossed from Colombia into Ecuador each day over the bridge earlier this month.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/08/ecuador-passport-rules-leave-hundreds-venezuelans-hopeless-180819215312106.html

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/08/17/peru-ecuador-tighten-requirements-for-venezuela-migrants.html

According to the UN, an estimated 2.3 million Venezuelans have fled the country since 2014, when oil prices suddenly dropped. Venezuela is now suffering from hyperinflation as it continues to reel from food and medical shortages, as well as a political crisis that has left much of the country polarized. Since July, more than 4,000 Venezuelans have passed from Colombia to Ecuador across the Rumichaca border crossing a day, according to Colombia's migration authority. While many South American countries offered to take those fleeing economic hardship or political persecution, Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno told local media on Saturday that "everything has a limit". He added that Venezuelans without passports "simply will not be allowed to come in". 

 

I can imagine Columbia would be pissed about this.  The WSJ article actually does touch on these changes by Peru and Ecuador and I imagine Brazil may follow suit soon.

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

Just now, Bill & Katya said:

I can imagine Columbia would be pissed about this.  The WSJ article actually does touch on these changes by Peru and Ecuador and I imagine Brazil may follow suit soon.

I can imagine they would be as well because that would mean the people are stuck in their country. 

 

I just wanted to post those articles by two completely different ideology wise news sources showing how much the situation sucks overall.

[TBoneTX 46,041]

5 hours ago, Bill & Katya said:

cracking down on demonstrators with such fury that few now dare to protest.

This is not an exaggeration, sad to say (per Mrs. T-B., who is dealing with Venezolanos).

5 hours ago, Bill & Katya said:

Andres Velasquez, a prominent opposition politician

His suicide has certainly been scheduled for him by now.

5 hours ago, Bill & Katya said:

Another opposition politician, Maria Corina Machado, said [...] “They can annihilate us [...]

Her suicide has certainly also been scheduled by now.

4 hours ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

the new passport rule in neighboring Ecuador could create a bottleneck at the Rumichaca International Bridge

At least policy has been made and will be adhered to, unlike in the U.S.

4 hours ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno

Great name, and yes, he's a leftist, but not an attention-hound like his predecessor and not actively trying to harm Ecu.

4 hours ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno told local media on Saturday that "everything has a limit". He added that Venezuelans without passports "simply will not be allowed to come in". 

As stated, this will be adhered to.

Will try to learn from Mrs. T-B. what's going on beyond the above.

[TBoneTX 46,041]

4 hours ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

a lot of the Venezuelans were going through Colombia onward to [...] Peru

Northern Peru is scenic, but like a 5th-world country.  Plus, almost no way to get there except through Ecu.

1 hour ago, Bill & Katya said:

Surprised we are not seeing more migration over the Atacama and Andes to Chile. 

Respectfully, I'm not.  Terrain and conditions a zillion times worse than Central Americans have it when trying to get here through Mexico.

[Dashinka 24,758]

9 minutes ago, TBoneTX said:

Northern Peru is scenic, but like a 5th-world country.  Plus, almost no way to get there except through Ecu.

Respectfully, I'm not.  Terrain and conditions a zillion times worse than Central Americans have it when trying to get here through Mexico.

I agree, attempting to cross either of those natural barriers would definitely be mistake for most of these refugees.

[Dashinka 24,758]

Don't worry now, Maduro created an "impressive magical" plan.

 

The plight of refugees came as President Nicolás Maduro’s government began on Monday rolling out a plan to raise the minimum wage by 6,000%, hike taxes and institute a currency devaluation—measures Venezuelans said would paralyze the economy and prompt more people to flee.

 

Late Sunday, speaking to his countrymen in an address streamed on Facebook, Mr. Maduro called his plan “an impressive magical formula,” even as many businesses said they would close indefinitely in response.

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/fleeing-venezuelans-hit-roadblocks-abroad-1534797204?mod=hp_lead_pos8

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

Wow.  You'd think some of our more intense liberals were in charge over there.

[TBoneTX 46,041]

On 8/20/2018 at 11:46 AM, TBoneTX said:

Will try to learn from Mrs. T-B. what's going on beyond the above.

Caucused with Mrs. T-B. last night.

She says that the upper- & middle-class Venezolanos are seeking to come to the U.S.

The lower classes are pouring into Colombia, Peru, & Ecu.

They're taking jobs from regular Ecus, evoking vocal displeasure.

A couple of them have committed murders, evoking massive vocal displeasure.

Accordingly, Ecu's president has put his foot down.

Trouble of a yet-unknown nature might occur at the chief Colombia-Ecu border crossing when these unpassported Venezolanos are refused entry.

Edited August 22, 2018 by TBoneTX
typo

[Dashinka 24,758]

2 hours ago, TBoneTX said:

Caucused with Mrs. T-B. last night.

She says that the upper- & middle-class Venezolanos are seeking to come to the U.S.

The lower classes are pouring into Columbia, Peru, & Ecu.

They're taking jobs from regular Ecus, evoking vocal displeasure.

A couple of them have committed murders, evoking massive vocal displeasure.

Accordingly, Ecu's president has put his foot down.

Trouble of a yet-unknown nature might occur at the chief Colombia-Ecu border crossing when these unpassported Venezolanos are refused entry.

Can you say Calais?

[Mr&Mrs G. 903]

Maybe Venezualas democratic socialism is the only way to give everyone in the US a little bit of what they think they want.

 

The left wants socialism, and in 20-30 years the country will be in the toilet. 

 

The right wants controlled immigration and with the country in the crapper no one will want to immigrate to the US. 

 

Sounds like a win win to me 🤪