VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT TELLS CITIZENS TO 'EAT FRIED ROCKS' AS FOOD SHORTAGES CAUSED BY SOCIALIST POLICIES THREATEN WIDESPREAD STARVATION
J.D. Heyes
(NaturalNews) Life continues to deteriorate under the socialist regime in Venezuela, an oil-rich South American nation whose citizens' quality of life has nearly collapsed in the throes of Marxist economic policy.
But no matter, because government officials are quick to offer solutions. In fact, the governor of the Venezuelan state of Bolivar has offered a very unique approach to staving off starvation: Citizens who are short on food can always fry up some rocks (that is, if they can find enough cooking oil, which has been a problem too).
After all, says the man who made the suggestion, Gov. Francisco Rangel, during a recent radio program, eating fried minerals and metals of the earth is much better than surrendering to a political opposition that dares to suggest a return to a (once-vibrant) free-market economy that used to provide for citizens' needs (and at a profit too – gasp!).
Save the revolution, not lives
As reported by the PanAm Post, Rangel – who most likely has no shortage of food at his table – said Sept. 29 that citizens should not "yield to temptation" or worry much about not being able to find food during the country's regular shortages (in other words, ignore those hunger pangs and Marxist on!).
"Let them take away whatever they want. We are capable of eating a stick, or instead of frying two eggs, fry two rocks, and we will eat fried rocks, " he said, "but no one can beat us."
Continuing, Rangel referred to a perceived economic war on his country and "induced inflation" that he and other ruling party members have accused the political opposition of creating – despite the fact that they don't have the power to implement policy in the country.
"Now that prices are sky high, we need to fight against this together," he implored. "Let them not feel like they have beaten us."
Prices – especially food prices – have skyrocketed throughout the country in recent years, driven in large part by shortages that are the result of the regime's price controls and other socialist economic policies. PanAm Post reported that, according to Andres Bello Catholic University, the cost of basic food items for an average family in Ciudad Guayana, Bolivar, rose by nearly 19 percent in August alone.
Further, university researchers noted that average families must now earn the equivalent in Venezuelan currency of $54.53 a month – roughly six times the monthly minimum wage – just to satisfy basic food requirements.
As further reported by the PanAm Post:
Venezuela is home to the world's highest inflation. The annual cost of living is increasing at a rate of 633 percent, according to the Cato Institute's Troubled Currencies Project.
Rangel's statements echo the words of the late former President Hugo Chavez, who expressed a similar sentiment during a speech several years ago. "It doesn't matter if we have no clothes to wear, or no food to eat," he said, "this is about saving the revolution."
Yes, save the revolution – not lives.
"This is a disaster"
As noted in a blog post at the Mises Canada website, ordinary Venezuelans have had enough of "The Revolution." Recently, one female shopper attempted to purchase three cans of sardines – sardines – but was forced to put one can back because of rationing.
"This is a disaster," she said, as noted in the post by Caleb McMillan.
He further wrote:
Food shortages, rising prices, inflation, corrupted incentives, and rampant crime are all symptoms of a primordial problem: socialism. Just because the Socialist Party was democratically elected does not mean that the economic calculation problem has been solved. It's as if the gods needed one more example to shove down the throats of Western leftists. Economic chaos, food rationing and a complete break down of the social order aren't lessons of a misguided dictatorship of the proletariat, but a fundamental reality of socialism, whether democratic or not.
If anarcho-capitalists are being asked to move to Somalia, then American socialists (Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, are you listening?) should move to Venezuela. Then again, only the ruling elite (like them) are taken care of.
Sources:
http://www.naturalnews.com/z051481_Venezuelan_government_food_shortage_socialist_economy.html