RE: Beggar Towns: The Real Legacy of the Bolivarian Revolution (Pencil drawing)
Henrry, great sketch, mate. And great insights.
The most dangerous thing in the world is a Utopian ideology. When a fantasy becomes real, one's ability to Reality Test, to distinguish between the former and the latter, is destroyed. And, as a consequence, common sense, and the evidence of one's eyes, become little more than enemies in need of defeat.
"You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs." Lenin, quoting Robespierre.
Venezuela has become a nation of broken eggs ... all in the service of a Utopian fantasy that had already been tried countless times and which had, in every single instance, failed miserably.
The lives that are lost never come back ... and yet, that argument never seems to convince the dreamers. "This time, it will be different."
Believe it or not, many Western Progressives (Far Leftists) refuse to criticize Chavez or Maduro. Venezuela's current woes are the fault of the CIA ... and besides, the problems are not as bad as the media is portraying.
Reality Testing.
Quill
Thanks for stopping by, my friend.
As always, with comments that incite more introspection and analysis. It is not only an obviously failed ideology, but a criminal one. That's what makes it more frustrating when people keep "arguing" in its defense.
I just read some statements from Russian officials blaming the wave of Venezuelan illegal immigrants to the US sanctions. Venezuelans started to fly away since 2002 when Chavez did not hesitate to fire 20,000 oil workers because they were sabotaging his government.
Other waves hit the region in 2004 when it became evident that they would do anything to remain on power and modify the constitution they had just drafted so that it would always fit their power hunger. Then in 2008 when the mega devaluation (emergence of the bolivar fuerte) made it evident that we were going down the misery drain. And the, came Maduro in 2013 (the celebration of chavez's death did not last long) and the robbery of that election sealed out destiny and that of millions who had been waiting patiently for a change of winds.
The fucking sanctions that started in 2017 and were directed innitially only to government officials who, despite their despise for the empire and capitalism, enjoyed royalty lives in the capitalist centers of the world (the lovers of equality do not seem to see a problem in that).
I am at loss with the mixed messages of the EU. On the one hand they seem to support deposing Maduro, but then the USA sanctions Cuba and they all get offended because France and Spain, among others have economic interests there. Cuba has been instrumental in the tragedy that has befalled the Venezuelan people. This double standard coming from developed countries is very frustrating.
I am honestly losing hope.