Venezuela’s Maduro orders military occupation of electronics stores

[Trajan]

The only regret I had at the time, when Chavez died was that he wouldn't be the one to be ridden out of Venezuela on a rail when the country collapsed.......

Anyway, the former bus driver cum Presidente is carrying it forward...



Maduro government 'occupies' Venezuela electronics chain


Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro ordered the military “occupation” of a chain of electronic goods stores in a crackdown on what the socialist government views as price-gouging hobbling the country’s economy.

Various managers of the five-store, 500-employee Daka chain have been arrested, and the company will now be forced to sell products at “fair prices,” Maduro said late on Friday. …

On Saturday morning, hundreds of bargain-hunters flocked to Daka shops to take advantage of the new, cheaper prices.

“We’re doing this for the good of the nation,” said Maduro, who accuses rich businessmen and right-wing political foes backed by Washington of waging an economic “war” against him.

“I’ve ordered the immediate occupation of this chain to offer its products to the people at fair prices, everything. Let nothing remain in stock … We’re going to comb the whole nation in the next few days. This robbery of the people has to stop.”

more at-
Maduro government 'occupies' Venezuela electronics chain | Reuters
and hat-tip HOtair.


I guess his Ministry of Supreme Social Happiness, ( yes they have one) wasn't feeling the love....

 

[Mr. H.]

Whoa. I bet that chain fails but quick. There goes 500 jobs.

BTW:

Standard Digital News - Kenya : Venezuela government creates happiness ministry

 

[Trajan]

hey, it is what it is......their oil industry nationalizes other entities, their own is falling apart via mismanagement and failure to invest in infrastructure...one day the price of oil will drop below say $80 ( or their wells will begin to run down) and they will be in such deep do do....all of that oil wealth, gone baby gone.

 

[Jughead]

Chavez is gone, but it looks like there is no shortage of dictators in Venezuela. Too bad.

 

[Trajan]

a former bus driver no less, well, hes driving that bus right over the cliff....

 

[ScienceRocks]

Maybe they should learn economics?

Oh'noo's we can't do that as we must be thugs!

 

[waltky]

Venezuelan protestors tear-gassed, demand Maduro’s ouster...

Venezuelans demand Maduro’s ouster
Fri, May 20, 2016 - ‘EASY’: Venezuelan Vice President Aristobulo Isturiz said the referendum was a ‘trap’ and called for the opposition to focus on unseating the president in the 2019 elections

Venezuelan protesters on Wednesday demanded a referendum on ousting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, defying riot police who fired tear gas and a state of emergency that the opposition has blasted as unconstitutional. However, Maduro warned that if anti-government acts turned violent “I will not hesitate” to ratchet up the extraordinary measures in force, “to fight for the peace and security of this country.” The opposition organized the demonstrations in Caracas and two dozen other cities and towns to press for a recall referendum against Maduro this year. More than 1.8 million signatures calling for the vote have been gathered on a petition that was handed to the Venezuelan National Electoral Council two weeks ago.

Police and soldiers using tear gas and pepper spray blocked about 1,000 demonstrators from marching on council headquarters, journalists said. “Recall! Recall! Maduro Out!” the crowd yelled, holding aloft anti-government placards and Venezuelan flags. Incidents were reported during demonstrations in five Venezuelan states. About 30 people were arrested, the opposition and non-governmental organizations said. The protests were the first since the 60-day state of emergency Maduro imposed this week that gives broad powers to security forces to maintain public order. The order gives broad powers to the government, military and police to ignore constitutional protections and tackle what Maduro has said are threats to domestic and external security, and critical shortages of food and energy.

Anti-government demonstrators try to break through a line of Venezuelan national police in an effort to reach the headquarters of the Venezuelan National Electoral Council in Caracas​

The only visible effects so have been the diversion of some scarce food for handout to poor citizens, and greater vigilance by security forces. However, Maduro said he had scope to take the state of emergency further, implying that he could impose greater military control over the population to put down challenges to his authority. The Venezuelan National Assembly, controlled by the opposition, on Tuesday rejected the decree establishing the state of emergency. However, the Venezuelan Supreme Tribunal of Justice, which has many judges appointed by Maduro’s late predecessor, Hugo Chavez, might overrule that, as it has other congressional decisions. If it is maintained regardless, the opposition has urged the public to defy the state of emergency. It has also asked the army to decide whether it backs the constitution or Maduro.

In Wednesday’s protest, Venezuelan National Assembly President Henry Ramos Allup urged the government to come to a peaceful resolution over the crisis. “We don’t want a bloodbath or a coup d’etat,” he said. However, the government is in no mood to reach a compromise. Venezuelan Vice President Aristobulo Isturiz called the referendum push a “trap” and urged the opposition to instead focus on the next presidential election in December 2019. “If you win, Maduro will give up power. Easy. What’s the problem?” he said. Maduro claims the adversity he is facing is manipulated by US interference working with Venezuela’s “fascist” right. By way of evidence, he said a US surveillance aircraft twice violated his country’s airspace last week. The US Department of Defense on Wednesday denied the allegation.

MORE

See also:

Venezuelan opposition protesters tear gassed, blocked by national guard
May 18, 2016 -- The Venezuelan opposition was quickly greeted with obstruction and tear gas on Wednesday after launching a march in Caracas over a referendum seeking to oust President Nicolas Maduro.

The march was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. local time in Caracas' Venezuela Plaza and within half an hour there were widespread reports of security officials, mainly the Venezuelan National Guard, using tear gas against demonstrators and obstructing protesters' paths. Several marches were held nationwide aimed to descend on the regional headquarters of Venezuela's National Electoral Council, or CNE. "CNE rectors, high military commanders and government officials: Do not be complicit in human rights violations that Maduro advances to cling to power," opposition leader and National Assembly member Freddy Guevara said in a statement.

The Democratic Unity Roundtable, or MUD, opposition coalition held the protest march to demand the CNE comply with the opposition's efforts to initiate a recall referendum on Maduro. The march culminated when opposition leaders handed over a letter to Luis E. Rondón, head rector of the CNE, which urged for the electoral council to proceed with the second phase of the referendum process. The MUD in late April complied with the electoral council's requirement to gather signatures to proceed with the recall effort. The MUD collected more than 1 million signatures out of the nearly 200,000 that were needed.

After completing the first phase of the petition process, the opposition is waiting for the CNE to provide the necessary documents to move ahead with the final phase. The MUD will need to collect signatures from 20 percent, or about 4 million, of the South American country's voting-eligible population within three days. There were reports of several major subway stations being shut down in Caracas on Wednesday as the march occurred, incidents similar to what occurred last Wednesday in the MUD's first major protest demanding CNE action. "Metro closed access to Caracas. The fear Nicolas Maduro has of the people who want recall and change," Henrique Capriles Radonski, governor of Venezuela's Miranda state and a key opposition leader who almost defeated Maduro in a 2013 election, said in a statement. "When they rob you in Caracas you can't find one officer. Today they are all in the streets over the fear Maduro has that we ask the CNE to validate our signature!"

The opposition is working to hold the recall referendum in which Venezuelans will be asked whether Maduro should be removed from the presidency by the end of the year. Maduro's approval ratings are usually below 20 percent -- at times dipping into single digits -- meaning the likelihood of his removal is high. On Tuesday, Maduro took aim at the opposition's referendum efforts. "The opposition wants a coup d'etat, foreign intervention and economic warfare. Recall is an option, not an obligation," Maduro said. "We are not required to hold any referendum in this country of any kind." Tensions were high as demonstrators were targeted by tear gas in the streets of Caracas, including one incident caught on video.

Venezuelan opposition protesters tear gassed, blocked by national guard - UPI.com

Related:

Venezuela's Maduro calls OAS head a traitor
May 19, 2016 - Venezuela's parliament on Thursday formally solicited for OAS action.

Luis Almagro, the secretary general of the Organization of American States, fiercely rejected and condemned Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro over accusations of being a "traitor." The recent spat between both men began on Tuesday when Maduro told journalists that Almagro "has been a traitor for a long time." "At some point I will tell his story. I know his secrets," Maduro said in reference to his accusation that Almagro works as the head of the OAS to advance the interests of the United States. "The Americans, the CIA, have played a master move using Almagro as their agent."

Almagro didn't take kindly to Maduro's remarks. Using Twitter, the secretary general posted 12 tweets directly calling out the leader on Wednesday. "I'm not a traitor either to my ideas or my principles BUT YOU ARE A TRAITOR to your people," Almagro wrote. "You will NEVER be able to undo so much suffering, intimidation, misery and anguish you've created for your people," Almagro wrote in another.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said the head of the Organization of American States is working to advance U.S. interests in his country.​

Maduro did not reply directly to Almagro's commentary, but the Venezuelan president's foreign minister, Delcy Rodriguez, replied. "Mr. Almagro, every time you make a statement you express your hatred against Venezuela and its legitimate authorities. You are part of the imperialist detritus," Rodriguez wrote. "You only repeat the scripted words which your imperialist masters dictate to you," Rodriguez added. "You will never give orders to Venezuela!" Almagro replied to Rodriguez by saying that "A lie, although repeated a thousand times, will never be truth."

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Luis Florido, of Venezuela's opposition-controlled National Assembly, delivered a solicitation to Almagro urging the secretary general to invoke the OAS' Inter-American Democratic Charter, which would initiate an emergency Permanent Council meeting over fears of a diminishing democracy in Venezuela. Venezuela's consent is not required if the OAS were to invoke the charter. "Our call to the world: Raise your voices for Venezuela! Let us avoid the aggravation of the humanitarian crisis and the continuing deaths of innocent Venezuelans," Florido said in a statement.

Venezuela's Maduro calls OAS head a traitor

 

[Two Thumbs]

only took them 3 years.

I'd feel for them, but this is what they wanted.

 

[Two Thumbs]

Maybe they should learn economics?

Oh'noo's we can't do that as we must be thugs!

the irony of this old post

 

[longknife]