The leader of the PPT Andrea Tabare confirmed today (11th February 2008) that the demonstration outside the British Embassy concerning the EXXON - PDVSA dispute will take place this Wednesday at 11, and went on to accuse those who do not attend of being "traitors to their homeland".

The PPT gave its "completed and unlimited support" to the PDVSA and to the actions which "businesses as much as the State are carrying out against the aggression and this shady deal which British and American courts have tried to impose against our sovereignty and natural resources" stated Tabare.

Tabare indicated that the protest will be a sit-in demonstration and that they will hand over a document detailing their rejection of the courts' demands and "showing the disapproval of Venezuelans."

The Venezuelan public are urged to take to the streets this Wednesday in defence of "their country and their sovereignty", and those who refuse will be considered as "traitors to their homeland."

The party also suggested the creation of a special commission incorporating every profession (workers, unions, students, amongst others); in order to monitor and support any activities undertaken (by the government and PDVSA).

On the other side, the National Assembly ordered the publishing of a list containing all the politicians and senators who "approved the liberalisation of the petrol industry so that legal action may be taken; since they are also implicated in treason. They accepted a process of international arbitration, they accepted that these agreements would be settled in foreign courts and in foreign languages, and we are now suffering the consequences of their unpatriotic actions."

In Venezuela, they are now standing in line to get powdered milk. Not whole, 2%, 1%, or skim, but powdered. Not chocolate or strawberry in half-gallons, quarts or pints, in cardboard or glass, but powdered.

It isn't just milk either. Beef? Good luck. Sugar? Try again. Chicken, eggs or rice? Not in Venezuela.

The food shortage is so bad, that Venezuela imported 74,000 tons of food items last month, just to avoid a 'food crisis'. Chavez has demanded that food producers increase production, but the country still faces shortages.

It is undeniable is the inability of socialism to meet the needs of people. In Zimbabwe, they face the same problems, for the same reasons. And respond in same socialist fashion.

While Venezuela earns record proceeds from oil exports, consumers face shortages of meat, flour and cooking oil. Annual inflation has risen to 16 percent, the highest in Latin America, as Chávez tripled government spending in four years.

The bolivar has tumbled 30 percent this year to 5,250 per dollar on the black market, the only place it trades freely because of government controls on foreign exchange. That compares with the official rate of 2,150 per dollar set in 2005. Chávez may have to devalue the bolivar to reduce the gap and increase oil proceeds, which make up half the government's revenue.

Chavez's socialist policies will reduce Venezuela to the same level as Zimbabwe, despite the record oil revenues. There are already food shortages, and inflation. For $10,000,000 Zimbabwe, you can buy one gallon of Heartland Creamery milk, but not much else. The strong bolivar will follow the same path.

Only, in Venezuela and Zimbabwe, there isn't any milk to buy. Telling someone, 'I bought a gallon of milk today' would be a big deal. People would want to know where you bought it and was there any left.

Socialism fails everywhere it is tried. It always has, and always will. While capitalism may be the unequal distribution of wealth, socialism is the equal distribution of poverty. The only exception is the ruling elite.

I doubt Hugo was waiting in line for powdered milk.

Source: allamericanblogger.com
Aditional Info: msnbc.msn.com
Related Gallery: It is not Ruanda, it isn't Darfur, it is Venezuela

Down here a man named Hugo Chavez has gained control of the country by being its president. While his intelligence is that of the current American president, he also dreams of power and especially more power. You can just imagine him as Palpatine from Star Wars: Episode III (I know, it sucked, but my point stands) screaming "POWER!" and frying Samuel Jackson... motherfucker. And true enough, during his reign of terror he have tried to change the constitution of the country so he can become the president till his time is up. Which he predicts is 2050. As if his health and the world's will last that long. Anyway, while the man may appear funny, and could be the interest of many comedians, he also have a bad influence on his country. He is certainly a divider.

Chavez is largely supported by the poor people of Venezuela, because he promises them better uh... stuff? Dunno really what he does for them. But what is worse is that the rest of the world is largely ignoring what is going down in Venezuela. Yeah, we hear it on the news, yeah, we read about it. But do we really care? Do we really have room for more caring? We already pretend to care about Afghanistan and Iraq. And North Korea and Pakistan. And Kenya and Sudan. And economics and terror. And so on and so on. Our caring usage is simply too much.

No excuse. Humans can care unlimited. That or you can simply revert your caring to other things.

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