Another American backed coup happening in Venezuela

Spannerplank wrote: »

I see pictures of emaciated people.

I've yet to see evidence of people eating rats in Venezuela.

Who are these pictures of?

Who are those 3 boys in what looks like a borstal or detention centre?

Who is the old man? And the woman with the little girl?

Who took these pictures?

Names , addresses and postcodes ?

Spannerplank wrote: »

Do you have anything yet to back up your rat and flamingo story?

You can bombard the thread with images of people who appear to be malnourished all you want. You brought up the ridiculous myth about people having to eat rats. Can you provide any proof of that?

Hi Spannerplank - I've a huge amount of connections and family currently in Venezuela. Luckily none of them are eating rats or flamingos at the moment. But think of the bottom of our society, I mean the very bottom. How are they living in our first world country?

Mass starvation doesn't necessarily happen like the infamous Ethiopian cases wherein people wake up and suddenly there is no food. It can happen over time, which is the case in Venezuela. People are still working in banks you know, the police are still getting up. Kids are going to school. Even restaurants are open and bakeries. If you're looking for an Ethiopian epidemic, you won't find it in Venezuela. The starvation that's happening is because people are eating 50% of their daily recommended calorie intake, a lot of bread and water, and maybe some cheese. Very little nutrition. Kids are growing, but the videos you can find online will show you teenagers that look like 6 year olds. Remember the different levels of society, and with starvation in Venezuela we're mainly talking about the bottom half, which is enveloping more of their society everyday.

The problem I have with the media is that they make people like you question everything even when there is clear evidence of a problem. The media's general approach to glorifying everything now has you implying in this thread that you don't believe any of it, and begging for videos and, when you get them, validity of the videos and pictures. You have lost so much faith in public information, that you can only believe things when you physically travel and see them with your own eyes.

What I would ask you to do is forget about using some parts of the media and online videos as a starting point. You are using them as an input to your perspective of Venezuela and you're right - that's not the correct approach.

Think about a far left regime and the history of them. Think about passports not being issued to civilians so they can't work if they leave. In spite of that, think about the mass exodus from the country (millions). Think about the treacherous journeys that everyday people are making with their kids to get over the freezing Venezuelan mountains. Think about the protests and amount of different world powers that are backing the end of Maduro's presidency.

Can't your mind see (without videos) that perhaps people are leaving behind a desperate place? Now, once you have reached that conclusion, take a look at the videos online - Are the bottom half of society eating rats? Yes, of course they are. What else would make you pack up your belongings, take your kids over a freezing mountain, and move to another country in which you have no access to work or social welfare?

Thargor wrote: »

Hugo Chavezs daughter is worth 4 billion! How do they tolerate that level of fleecing?

clearly Venezuela doesn't have a second amendment

Gatling wrote: »

They effectively banned the ownership of guns a few years ago

interesting, haven't all dictatorships done the same thing before they took over the government.

Spannerplank wrote: »

Except it's very relevant.

Yemen has been suffering the worst humanitarian catastrophe on the planet for years prior to any food crisis in Venezuela.

The fact that the US have engineered the crisis in Yemen doesn't lend any creedence to their supposed concerns about how much Venezuelans are getting to eat.

And the fact that you use a buzzword like whataboutery as a defence of hypocrisy shows that you're not really serious but are just playing games, looking to score
points and trying to get a rise out of people. That's certainly how it looks.

How is it relevant?


I can be wrong about Arsenal winning the Premier League but right about Dublin winning the All-Ireland Championship.

Being wrong about one thing doesn't make you wrong about everything. The situation in Venezuela should be examined on its merits. I will comment in a thread on Yemen about Yemen, but the US could be wrong there and right about Venezuela.

Discernment is everything. I am more than happy to criticise our own government on climbing down on water charges and their record on climate change, while praising them for their handling of the public finances. The idea that because you agree with the US on Venezuela means that you agree with them on every issue of foreign policy is a distraction put up by people who disagree with the US on everything.

Posts like yours fail to see the real issue and are blinded by a hatred of all things US.

TeaBagMania wrote: »

interesting, haven't all dictatorships done the same thing before they took over the government.

Yes they did and with banning of guns for civilians, deaths massively increase especially around protests at the hands of government security services

Its terrible how brainwashed the so called Irish Left are. Whether its Palestine, Venezuela etc they all parrot the same old cliches spun out by the Intelligentsia in First Arts

Spannerplank wrote: »

There is widespread starvation and a cholera epidemic in Yemen caused by a US land sea and air blockade. That coupled with them supplying the Saudis to decimate the country. /quote]

Didn't know America shared a border with Yemen !

Spannerplank wrote: »

But the article doesn't say she is worth 4 billion.

It says she is "rumoured" to be worth 4 billion. A very subtle and sneaky word play to stoke outrage without actually presenting a fact. Certainly protects the paper from any lawsuits for printing lies.

I could very easily ask you if you beat your wife. I would imagine you would say "no, of course not".

The following day splashed across the front page of the tabloid is "Thargor Denies Beating His Wife!"

I've told the truth but your name is still now in the gutter.

Oh wow thanks for explaining that complicated concept :rolleyes:

Im sure all the reports of her being the richest woman in Venezuela and all those estates she owns for no discernible reason are just imperialist propaganda.

Cheerful Spring wrote: »

You find people like this in America if you looked for them. There no evidence the entire population is starving and out of food.

To just blame Maduro for the economic mess, is ignoring America is punishing this country economically for a decade.

I think a new election should be held and let the people decide. However it clear as day this coup is backed by the US and they want to take the oil. They're not getting involved for no reason.

What do you mean when you say America is punishing this country economically for a decade?

Until a fortnight ago - when the US introduced an oil embargo - it was the only country actually paying them for the oil they got.