This is the real reason, the only reason that in the end will push for an intervention.— daniel duquenal (@danielduquenal) February 26, 2018
Opinion | Latin-America’s worst-ever refugee crisis: Venezuelans https://t.co/uTaKJrvOa4
And if nothing is done it may turn out to be the worst humanitarian crisis in the Western Hemisphere since La Conquista.
Bolivia va camino al mismo destino
ReplyDeleteSome state controlled news sites are actually saying that these photos are really Colombians fleeing Colombia in order to get to Venezuela for the better opportunities to be found there.
ReplyDeleteSurely, surely there is not one person in Venezuela or even in the world that could be so stupid as to believe that! That statement, if it were not so sad, would be hilarious!
Bolivia va camino al mismo destino.
ReplyDeleteNot yet. Yes, Evo has been a big fanboy of El Finado, and has had a similar tendency towards autocratic rule and disregard for rule of law. Yes, the corruption of some in Evo's circle, such as his former girlfriend's arrest for influence peddling for a Chinese engineering group, reminds us of the corruption of Chavista insiders. As far as I can tell, corruption in Bolivia hasn't ascended to the wholesale robbery of the Chavista enchufados. After all, Evo's former girlfriend WAS arrested.
While Evo has made a number of stupid statements about the alleged evils of capitalism- rather similar to those of El Finado or Maduro, Evo's economic policies haven't followed those of Chavista Venezuela.
Gasoline in Bolivia at the pump cost US $0.71/liter in 2016, compared to Venezuela's US $ 0.00008 /liter that year. No giveaway gasoline in Bolivia. Evo has gotten some flack over the years for raising the price of gasoline.
Evo's government has been much more prudent in borrowing money compared to Chavista Venezuela.
Interest payments on external debt (% of GNI) for Bolivia went from 2.12% in 2006 to 0.42% in 2013(up to 0.68% for 2016). For Venezuela: 1.86% in 2006 to 2.38% in 2013.
Interest payments on external debt (% of exports of goods, services and primary income) 2006 and 2013
Bolivia 5.1% 2.7 %
Venezuela 4.5% 23.7%
No drunken sailor international borrowing in Bolivia, in contrast to Chavezuela.
Economic growth has been good in Bolivia. Not so in Chavezuela
GDP per capita, PPP (constant 2011 international $)
2006 $4201
2016 $6708
Like Venezuela, petroleum is the main export in Bolivia- though it's natural gas for Bolivia and oil for Venezuela. In2016, Fuel exports (% of merchandise exports) were 58% of Bolivia's merchandise exports, versus 98% for Venezuela.
While Bolivia faces similar dangers from autocratic rule as Venezuela, though as you point out not yet so bad in Bolivia, so far its economic fate has been rather different.
World Bank: World Development Indicators
FYI. New York Review has an article on Venezuela: Hell of a Fiesta, by Enrique Krauze
ReplyDeleteThey flee but many still venerate and adore Chavez, who showered them with gifts while destroying every foundation of a country formerly known as Venezuela. Today, they flee to Colombia or anywhere, praising Chavez. It’s hard to say that they deserve the shit that they got, because the previous MUDs share the blame of their lack of education and total cluelessness.
ReplyDeleteBut I guarantee you that if elections were fair, and some candidate like these new thugs with some charisma, Chavez-like were to run, he would win again! That’s how wise our “pueblo” truly is. Not much better with Colombia, it seems, with Petro now.. ) That’s why Klepto-Cubazuela is where it is, right there with Zimbabwe, Haiti, or worse.
It is no different anywhere in the world just that poor countries have more ignorant (un educated) living off others. If a Chavez like person ran in Canada the entire poor class would vote for him here too, just luckily the majority are not in that class. Same with USA and anywhere. There is no requirement for education or intelligence when it comes to voting.
DeleteBlame the previous MUDs, Ad/Copey.. : in 4 decades they failed to educate and integrate a thoroughly ignorant, clueless populace. Result: Chavismo.
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