Venezuela takes drastic measure amid food crisis

[Bacchus4.0]

Source: CBS News

CARACAS, Venezuela -- A food industry group said Monday that Venezuela's government has ordered companies to distribute food staples to a network of state-run supermarkets amid chronic shortages of basic goods.

Federal authorities ordered producers of milk, pasta, oil, rice, sugar and flour to supply between 30 percent and 100 percent of their products to the state stores, he Food Industry Chamber said.

Chamber President Pablo Baraybar warned that the order could cause major supply problems. The chamber says there are 15 times as many private stores in the socialist South American country as state-run ones.
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Rigid currency controls and a shortage of U.S. dollars make it difficult for Venezuelans to find imported goods. Companies say the controls also make it hard to turn a profit and justify production.



Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/venezuela-maduro-orders-food-distribution-state-run-stores-food-shortage/

[Fred Sanders]

1. The food hoarding, money-grubbing private companies keeping goods from the poor and inflating prices, deserved it.

Good for the government!

Socialism in action for the people, for the poor, because some people remember how the former dictators and military pawns treated the poor, and it was not by re-distributing food to state-run stores.

So glad to see that the Obama administration is reaching out to the elected leaders of Venezuela, obviously seeing an opportunity, as with Cuba, to penetrate the dense fog of propaganda.


KERRY SOFTENS TONE IN ANNUAL MESSAGE TO VENEZUELA, BOLSTERING REPORT OF THAW
July 2, 2015

Secretary of State on Thusrday issued an unusually warm message of goodwill to Venezuela ahead of the South American nation’s independence day, bolstering reports that the two countries are working toward mending an acrimonious relationship.

“On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I send my best wishes to the people of Venezuela as you celebrate 204 years of independence on July 5,” Kerry said.

He praised “a common spirit that paved the way for the American Revolution and independence in Latin America” and touted “ties of friendship, family, culture, sport, and commerce” that include a “mutual love for baseball.”

More significantly, Kerry hailed a “common cause in our support for Haiti’s elections, reconstruction and development, as well as in our shared commitment to the Colombian government’s ongoing efforts to achieve a lasting peace.”

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Republicans hate the socialist government of Venzuela with the usual burning outrage and lies:

"The White House will likely encounter resistance from Republicans if it pushes forward with any Venezuela thaw. Senate Foreign Relations Committee chair Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) just returned from the Latin American country, which he chided, upon his return to the US, for its approach to “free markets, disciplined monetary policy, respect for human rights and rule of law, fair elections, and…rampant corruption.”

https://www.districtsentinel.com/kerry-softens-tone-in-annual-message-to-venezuela-bolstering-report-of-thaw/

[Bacchus4.0]

2. No, it is just be directed from private supermarkets to the state stores with their subsidies

It doesn't do anything for supply other than make it worse since now the products will be scarce at supermarkets where the products can be sold at a higher price making it more profitable for importers and distributors. This will make food and necessities even more scarce.

[COLGATE4]

3. There you go again with those pesky facts.

"Facts??? We don' need no stinkin facts here"...

[salib]

5. Yep

Isn't it amazing how much of the right-wing (or at least monied establishment/status quo) echo chamber gets a good echo here on DU as soon as the subject is outside the U.S.?
- Venezuela
- Greece
- Ukraine

I added "monied establishment/status quo" because right now Cuba gets gold stars here on DU as it is Obama who has been working toward normal relations with them. But, in most cases, it is just right-wing TP as far as the eye can see when the subject is abroad.

[Fred Sanders]

7. I agree. The pattern is clear, as you say. I think that is because the corporate media is well aware the American public is

generally wilfully ignorant on anything going on outside Fortress America, so feel less constraint on spreading corporate propaganda on foreign affairs on any topic.

[seveneyes]

4. authorities ordered producers of milk, pasta, oil, rice, sugar and flour to supply

This is the beginning of the end of their incompetent leadership.

[Sunlei]

6. They can grow/produce more local food too? close, local to the city areas.

All they need to start are seeds and some labor, everything else is 'renewable' with the green, non chemical type of agriculture.

[Marksman_91]

10. Throughout the years the government has been destroying national production

Since Chavez's rule, businesses and plantations owned by the private sector have been taken away by the government even though they were producing well. And now most of those controlled by the government barely produce shit. And not only that, but many factories and industries haven't been able to produce since they don't receive the dollars they need that the government tightly controls through a system of currency exchange programs that doesn't exist in any other country in the world which has royally screwed up the economy and allowed many to resell dollars at a higher black market exchange rate price than the official one, among them many boligarchs within chavismo. Chavez's policies, which have been exacerbated by Maduro, are the cause of the lack of national production, not economic sabotage by the private sector.

[Little Tich]

8. Perhaps, if Venezuela printed more money, people will be able to buy what they need...

[brooklynite]

11. ...or at least deal with the toilet paper issue...

[Adrahil]

12. Can't get the paper!

[JonLP24]

9. Who is this food industry group?

The US wants control of Venezuela here bad. This isn't to say they aren't having economic difficulties with the price of oil being where it is but all the big names CBS, AP, etc are reporting quite a bit on Venezuela.