Thoughts and questions concerning Venezuela

[kniper]

I don't think it is too much of a stretch of the imagination to think that Hugo Chavez will turn Venezuela into a socialist republic. It also seems pretty plausible that it might develop into some kind of tyrannical/communist regime.

Assuming this is true, I was wondering if any of you know of any past/present comparable communist state with valuable natural resources matching Venezuela. Russia I know has oil and gas, but I don't know if it is comparable in the amount of resources compared to the population of the USSR.

Communism is in its dying days if not only for the reason that it is not economically feasible. However, do you think that Venezuela might be able to prop itself up and reach some "socialist utopia" through its valuable oil exports to subsidize what will likely be a sluggish economy? Please assume value of oil will at least increase with inflation.

[natedogg]

No


natedogg

[MidGe]

Chavez is already doing the right thing by the US poor and US natives by providing heavily discounted oil to these groups.

This was done following a request by president Bush to all major oil companies in the US. Only Citgo, headed by Chavez responded to the call.

If anyone is going to succeed at getting close to a utopia, Venezuela with Chavez is in the box seat. Venezuelans in general seem very happy with Chavez, indeed.

My suggestion is to wherever you are support Citgo by purchasing your oil from them, if possible.

[kniper]

Do realize that Citgo is in serious need of good PR. Chavez's comments about Bush (in particular at the UN stage) have irked Americans from left to right. Sorry to be so cynical, but I seriously don't think that the discounted oil was done out of the bottom of Citgo's hearts.

At any rate, the OP was not meant to be a referendum on Chavez, but whether a communist economy can be propped up successfully by large oil exports, or whether a communist economy is so defunct that it's doomed to stagnation.

[SNOWBALL]

MidGe,

Thanks for the tip. Whenever I see a citgo, I'll make sure to top off my tank.

[WordWhiz]

Venezuelans in general seem very happen with Chavez? Where the hell did you read that Midge--the Daily Worker? Have you not read about the food shortages (blamed on speculators, natch), or the thousands of rich Venezuelans fleeing to Florida? Venezuela is rapidly going down the tubes with Chavez in the driver's seat.

[kniper]

[ QUOTE ]
Venezuelans in general seem very happen with Chavez? Where the hell did you read that Midge--the Daily Worker? Have you not read about the food shortages (blamed on speculators, natch), or the thousands of rich Venezuelans fleeing to Florida? Venezuela is rapidly going down the tubes with Chavez in the driver's seat.

[/ QUOTE ]

Their "happiness" may be hard know exactly... realize 1) that you may read a somewhat slanted (maybe US?) source, and 2) he convincingly won the last election.

I concur though that wealthy Venezuelans are probably not happy.

[MidGe]

I am also convinced that many wealthy Venezuelans are probably not happy.

But they would only be a small fraction of the population.

[yukoncpa]

I just saw a 60 minutes episode on Chavez. The camera crew walked through poor parts of the town interviewing people. The people said that now they have running water (where they didn't before Chavez), and freshly paved, clean streets, and over all, they seemed happy with Chavez.
The t.v crew then interviewed some wealthy kids, who said they were worried and were thinking about leaving Venezuela.

edit - it was Barbra Walters who actually interviewed Chavez, and it may have been 20/20 instead of 60 minutes.

[[Phill]]

I like the way its going, a poor country where the poor are being helped and the rich are annoyed at this?

How can this ever be a bad thing?