No explanation is needed to see how hard everyday life is for many Venezuelans. Reports like this, from Puerto La Cruz, pretty much say it all.
People were waiting in line for powdered milk in a local supermarket (some had been in line for eleven hours, since 3 am) when a few people tried to skip the line, creating a sudden quarrel. Local police officers intervened, and fired non-lethal ammo to disperse the crowd. Ten people were wounded with the rubber bullets, including a little girl. Four people were arrested. People were waiting since the wee hours for their 2 Kilos of milk.
As i said, life is hard for most, because a selected few are having it pretty good. And then there’s Maria Gabriela Chavez…
Caracas Chronicles 
New York New York!
LikeLike
Quote from the eltiempo.com.ve article, Al menos 10 heridos dejó cola para comprar leche:
“Nos vamos a cansar de ser agredidos verbal y físicamente. No es justo”.
We’re GOING (at some point, I’m guessing…) to get tired of being abused verbally and physically?
Reading this quote from someone who just spent close to 12 hours in line (probably in the sun, in the Lecherías heat) to buy milk for her kids, and see that she’s not tired, not yet at least, makes me think of her as Super Woman. But it is also (to me, at least) a very acute yet subtle reference as to how (and why) things work the way they do in Venezuela.
I can imagine her saying next: “hey, at least I got my milk, tomorrow I’ll come back for flour, I’m almost out”.
LikeLike
“But it is also (to me, at least) a very acute yet subtle reference as to how (and why) things work the way they do in Venezuela.”
Well, look at the face of the woman in the picture with the bandage on her forehead and the injury on her nose. She looks so happy! It seems like she had a lot of fun in there. Just by looking at that picture, it is easy to comprehend how come the government doesn’t really need to make that much of an effort to keep people satisfied.
LikeLike
Oh no, no… Don´t get me wrong, I´m not saying she’s happy, or that she has it easy, by any means. I just wanted to point to the fact that Venezuelans are extremely resilient and, well, patient! That makes it easy for a government to be a bully (whether intentionally or just as a consequence of inefficiency/negligence) and get away with it.
LikeLike
Yes, I agree with that.
And she does look happy (kind of smiling) in that photo…
LikeLike
She is happy because she will use that huge bandage in her forehead as toilet paper
LikeLike
Nah, she’s happy because maburro himself got the food to that place.
That’s the excuse some idiot told CNN some months ago.
LikeLike
yea, I heard that one first-hand a couple of times: “con todo el esfuerzo que hace mi presidente para traernos estos productos, lo mínimo que puedo hacer es esperar en cola”
LikeLike
From the article (emphasis mine):
“Gladys Velásquez, una de las personas que estaban en la cola, aprovechó para advertir sobre lo que puede ocurrir por una situación que, a su juicio, es recurrente. “**Nos vamos a cansar** de ser agredidos verbal y físicamente. No es justo”.”
Meaning, you’re not tired yet? You still have it in you to spend half the night in line for food and watch the guardia let people in front of you some more? (from http://m.eluniversal.com/economia/140803/comprar-en-mercal-implica-madrugar , again emphasis mine):
“En Mercal que está en el Núcleo Fabricio Ojeda en Catia las personas comienzan a agolparse a las 3:30 de la mañana. “Cuando hay producto”, deja claro Yenny López, quien aunque ocupaba el puesto 78 en la fila aguardaba en la puerta “vigilando que no se colearan”.
A las 10:30 de la mañana apenas iban por el 34. A esa hora ya no marcarían más números. “Yo saldré de aquí como a la 1″, **dijo López con resignación, pero sin ninguna molestia.** ”
“Mientras los que madrugaron tienen varias horas formados esperando su turno, funcionarios públicos de varios organismos presentan su carnet y entran al establecimiento. Poco tiempo después salen con sus bolsas. Además cada empleado del supermercado pueden llevar dos familiares a comprar sin hacer cola. Con frecuencia aparecen parientes en la puerta y los dejan pasar.
Una señora reclama al miliciano que custodia la puerta y éste le responde: “Son funcionarios, tienen derecho. Haga su cola o la saco”. **Resignada retoma su puesto en la fila, refunfuña un “hasta cuándo nos calamos esto”, y espera.** ”
“”Nos acostumbramos a esto y no se acaba mientras esté lo regulado”, lamenta una señora.”
I don’t get it.
LikeLike
They are Petro-State Peons, and this is the meollo of the problem; until, and only if, sufficient numbers throw off their cloak of servitude, NOTHING is going to change in Venezuela, as it accelerates into a slightly-better-off Cuba redux.
LikeLike
“Meaning, you’re not tired yet?
…I don’t get it.”
Easy, dude, it’s called “brainwashing” for something.
LikeLike
“Maria Gabriela Chavez Venezuela designated alternate ambassador to the United Nations.
The announcement was made during an act of solidarity with the Palestinian people, which was held in the Plaza Bolivar in Caracas by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Elias Jaua.”
This was only done so she could have a diplomatic passport and immunity when shopping in the U.S. or traveling in other parts of the World. It would be a travesty to have Gabriela Chavez speak before the UN General Assembly.
Venezuelans in my family claim that Gabriela and her sister are billionaires. They still reside in government funded housing with all expenses paid including private jets.
If Chavismo wants to help Palestinians, they should help get rid of Hamas not support Hamas. Taking 200 Gazan orphans to live in Venezuela is pure publicity and indicates little concern for life in Gaza. Why doesn’t Maduro help get the thousands of Venezuelan orphans into decent conditions first. The assumption is that Israel created the orphans and they will become political tools rather than a human life. I hope the 200 Gaza orphans move in with Gabriela.
LikeLike
“It would be a travesty to have Gabriela Chavez speak before the UN General Assembly.”
They’ve had far worse speak there, truth be told.
LikeLike
They should’ve given her a similar assignment ……………… in Cuba
LikeLike
The Palestinian Venezuelan orphans, soon to be seen windshield-washing, juggling, and fire-eating at your local stoplight (if they’re lucky…).
LikeLike
“But at least we have Patria”
LikeLike
patria = waiting in endless lines.
patria = spend all your miserable wage in overpriced transport and food.
patria = languish in hunger and illness until you die.
patria = getting shot in the face by a mugger, then have your family arrested for trying to say something.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was being ironic before, just in case it wasn’t clear. So sad and true the definition of patria that you describe.
LikeLike
This news item seems very emblematic of Venezuela today: http://i.imgur.com/ZK2e5bx.jpg
LikeLike
Hey is that Maduro’s way of getting her out of the presidential palace?
LikeLike
Rather, out of the Presidential family residence in La Casona.
LikeLike
“… when a few people tried to skip the line…”
Call me crazy if you want, but I really wish those bastards at least got a broken bone for doing that.
LikeLike