t has been less than two months since I visited Caracas, Venezuela. While things were already very bad when I was there, they are now worse.

ower shortages have deepened (and this in an oil rich country!); food is becoming scarce (some people have resorted to eating dogs and cats); people lie on concrete slabs in hospitals without medicine (if you thought medical care was bad, just wait until it’s free!); and riots and looting are growing worse.

I went to see the end stages of socialism, complete with hyperinflation. I wanted to see where Europe and the US are headed.

In hindsight, it was shocking to see how few people in Venezuela understood what was going on.  You’d think in this day and age, they’d just watch a few Youtube videos (like some of ours) and realize the reality: Almost all their problems are a direct result of government and central banking.

Yet, hardly anyone understood.  Your average person was miserable, that was for sure.  But they didn’t know what was causing their misery.

I didn’t find much interest in gold and silver, let alone much buying, even though it was obviously a good idea.  And, forget bitcoin. No one knew what it was… except for the government that predictably has banned it.

Bizarrely, large parts of Caracas still hang pictures of Hugo Chavez and still consider him to be a hero!

I met a few people who were open to rational discussions. They were making about about $20 a month and could barely survive.

“Why don’t you go somewhere else?” I asked them. “Colombia is close.  And Trinidad & Tobago,  Aruba,  Argentina or Chile.  All with economies that are functioning and sometimes doing very well.”

The general response was, “I don’t know anyone there.”

Very strange. Why choose to live in squalor and desperation just because the environment is familiar to you?

This is a mentality I often see in America.  Elsewhere, too.  Stressed, people have a tendency to live like serfs, never venturing far from their birthplace.

It’s really not necessary in this era of the internet. Spend five minutes on Facebook and you know some people.

In fact, our global reach includes  TDV Groups (also known as the Vigilante Expat Network).  If you’re a subscriber, you can converse with other dollar vigilantes anywhere in the world. They are a great bunch. I know from experience, they’ll practically pick you up at the airport and help you get situated if you decide to visit or move.

CONTINUE READING.....

https://www.dollarvigilante.com/blog/2016/05/22/venezuela-descends-chaos-europe-us-next.html