Army Gets Shiny New Cars as Venezuelans Line Up for Food

[Bacchus4.0]

Last edited Mon Sep 29, 2014, 01:49 PM - Edit history (1)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-29/venezuelan-army-enjoys-meat-to-cars-denied-most-citizens.html


Venezuela’s national parade ground at the Fort Tiuna military base presents a scene that local civilians can only dream of -- stalls laden with goods and no waiting lines.

The market with everything from subsidized meat to baby strollers, along with loans, new cars and apartments, are perks provided to the armed forces as the economy contracts, poverty rises and President Nicolas Maduro’s popularity sinks to a record low.

The benefits help ensure the loyalty of the military, while siphoning reserves away from the poor who have seen wage growth fall behind inflation, according to analysts, citizen activists and academics.

Inflation has more than doubled and the bolivar slumped 76 percent against the dollar on the black market since Maduro came to office in April 2013 describing himself as the “son of Chavez.” More importantly to his support, the poverty rate has started to rise, climbing to 32 percent at the end of last year from a record low 25 percent in 2012, according to the National Statistics Institute.

[ellenfl]

1. unintelligible header. eom

[Bacchus4.0]

2. thanks, fixed now. n/t

[ellenfl]

3. much better! although that weird header did make me look. eom

[Judi Lynn]

4. Thank goodness the US has its priorities in order, getting lightly used military equipment

for the most incomprehensibly vast military complex in history, while previous U.S. Veterans roam the streets, homeless, as soon as they can get out of the service.

The homeless population in the U.S. is clearly nothing to write home about.

Should the U.S. do something to bring healing to all the lost souls with no where to go in THIS country?

[Bacchus4.0]

5. Thank goodness the US isn't anything like Venezuela n/t

[Psephos]

6. What are your specific thoughts on this situation in VZ? n/t