“I Haven’t Eaten Meat In 2 Months” – Venezuelan Oil Workers Are Collapsing From Hunger On The Job

by | Feb 23, 2018 | Headline News | 167 comments

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    This report was originally published by Tyler Durden at Zero Hedge

    Those who are unfamiliar with Venezuela’s unprecedented economic collapse might be surprised to learn that the country’s oil production has only slowed, even as the price of a barrel of crude has risen in most international markets.

    Unsurprisingly (it’s Venezuela), there’s a macabre explanation for this phenomenon: The workers at PDVSA – Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, which once showered Venezuelans with oil wealth – are literally collapsing due to hunger and exhaustion as workers defy their government handlers and flee their jobs in their desperation as the value of their pay has been completely erased.

    Bloomberg spoke with several workers in Venezuela’s oil industry about the harsh conditions they face on a daily basis.

    Of course, oil workers aren’t the only ones suffering: The situation in Venezuela is getting so dire that ordinary Venezuelans are losing tons of body weight because of the food shortages. Many can no longer afford to buy meat.

    One worker told Bloomberg about how his weekly salary barely pays for the corn flour he mixes with water and drinks every morning.

    At 6:40 a.m., Pablo Ruiz squats at the gate of a decaying refinery in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela, steeling himself for eight Sisyphean hours of brushing anti-rust paint onto pipes under a burning sun. For breakfast, the 55-year-old drank corn-flour water.

    Ruiz’s weekly salary of 110,000 bolivares — about 50 cents at the black-market exchange rate — buys him less than a kilo of corn meal or rice. His only protein comes from 170 grams of canned tuna included in a food box the government provides to low-income families. It shows up every 45 days or so.

    “I haven’t eaten meat for two months,” he said. “The last time I did, I spent my whole week’s salary on a chicken meal.”

    Hunger is hastening the ruin of Venezuelan’s oil industry as workers grow too weak and hungry for heavy labor. With children dying of malnutrition and adults sifting garbage for table scraps, food has become more important than employment, and thousands are walking off the job. Absenteeism and mass resignations mean few are left to produce the oil that keeps the tattered economy functioning.

    Researchers at three Venezuelan Universities reported losing on average 11 kilograms (24 lbs) in body weight last year and almost 90% now live in poverty, according to a new university study on the impact of a devastating economic crisis and food shortages. That annual survey has become a key barometer of the country’s economic stress since the government stopped releasing reliable economic data, as Reuters reports.

    Per Reuters, over 60% of Venezuelans surveyed said that during the previous three months they had woken up hungry because they did not have enough money to buy food. About a quarter of the population was eating two or less meals a day.

    After winning the presidency in 1999, leftist President Hugo Chavez was proud of improving Venezuela’s social indicators as the country’s economy was bolstered by oil-fueled welfare policies.

    But his successor President Nicolas Maduro, who has ruled since 2013, has allowed corruption to flourish. And his political allies have mismanaged the economy to such a degree that the collapse in the price of oil during 2014 had ruinous consequences.

    Even as the price of crude has begun to creep materially higher, the situation in Venezuela is only getting worse.

    In contemporary Venezuela, currency controls restrict food imports, hyperinflation eats into salaries, and people line up for hours to buy basics like flour.

    As a result, 90% of Venezuelans live in poverty.

    In what appears to be a last-ditch effort to rescue the country’s economy and his regime, President Nicolas Maduro yesterday began sales of the Petro, Venezuela’s oil-backed cryptocurerency. The launch was so successful, Maduro has assured the public, that he is considering launch a “Petro Oro” – a cryptocurrency backed by gold reserves.

    But perhaps even more shocking than the dire circumstances under which PDVSA’s remaining employees go to work every day is the contrast with the country’s prosperous past, as Bloomberg describes it…

    For decades, PDVSA was a dream job in a socialist petro-state. The company supplied workers not only with a good living and revolutionary-red coveralls, but cafeterias that served lunches with soup, a main course, dessert and freshly squeezed juice. Now, the cafeterias are mostly bare, the children are hungry and employees are leaving to work as taxi drivers, plumbers or farmers. Some emigrate. Some hold out as long as they can.

    …Now, instead of enjoying the trappings of a comfortable, middle-class life (not to mention freshly squeezed fruit juice), desperate employees are risking the government’s wrath – and possibly sacrificing their chance at a government pension someday – to escape not only from their jobs, but from Venezuela.

    Those who quit without notice risk losing their pensions, as bureaucrats refuse to process paperwork. Many managers live in terror of arrest since the Maduro regime purged the industry, imprisoning officials from low-level apparatchiks to former oil ministers. In one human resources office, a sign advertised a limit of five resignations a day.

    “Management is holding them back to stop brain and technical drain,” said Jose Bodas, general secretary of United Federation of Venezuelan Oil Workers. He estimates 500 employees have resigned at the Puerto La Cruz refinery and nearby processing facilities in the past 12 months – even though superiors have labeled them “traitors to the homeland,” a phrase that often precedes arrest. In the streets, families sell their boots and the red coveralls.

    “They’re giving up because of hunger,” Bodas said. “They’re leaving because they get paid better abroad. This is unheard of, a catastrophe.”

    In a nightmarish reflection of what life must’ve been like in some of the most poverty stricken areas of the Soviet Union, widespread adsenteeism is forcing those who stay behind to work long hours at the state’s insistence – without any additional compensation.

    Sitting in the living room of his house, on his day off, Endy Torres says he has lost 33 pounds over the past 18 months. He shows his PDVSA identification photo as proof: a chubby-cheeked man, weighing 176 pounds.

    Ten years ago, he joined the company expecting an ample salary and comfortable pension. Today, his 700,000 bolivars per month, plus a food bonus of 1.6 million bolivars (about $9.50 altogether) can’t fill the fridge at his grandmother’s house, where he lives.

    About 10 people from his department resigned in January. There are 263 plant operators remaining and 180 vacancies at the Puerto La Cruz refinery, he said.

    Absenteeism forces those who show up to work extra hours and burn precious calories. The lack of investment in equipment and maintenance has increased technical failures, almost all in the early hours of the morning, he said. When they occur, workers are too fatigued to act quickly, and accidents occur.

    And the worst part of it all is: Even if oil prices make a surprise comeback, years of favoritism, corruption and – now – international sanctions mean it’s unlikely Venezuela’s oil industry will suddenly blossom once again: For those who stay behind, the formerly wealthiest country in Latin America will probably remain mired in poverty, for as long as it’s ruled by a corrupt autocracy.

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      167 Comments

      1. I feel sorry for some of the Venezuelans, but not most of them because this is what they voted on themselves.

        • They need to learn the lesson of socialism themselves.

          Let them eat cake.

          • Isn’t Bernie style socialism grand? Fucktards get what they voted for. Feel the Bern.

            • Haven’t had meat in 2 months? Fook that, I haven’t had a cigarette in 5 DAYS! That guys a whoos…

              • People i know havent eaten meet in years,,,,they are vegan

                • 7 days now! God… I’d give 1000 bux for 5 minutes alone with that little faggot david hogg! I would beat that fucker so bad he’d be a human carrot the rest of his life!

                • Vegans suffer a slow, gradual, self-induced decline in health & should be pitied, not copied.

                  As for the scorn of “Genius”,: meat and animal products such as butter & milk & eggs, contain vitamins that nothing else contains: the B vitamins, esp, B-12. You NEED the B vitamins to deal with stress and to think clearly.

          • Its not Socialism you friggin moron. It the CIA, OPEC and various banking cartels and Governments like the US and around the world on their Nation Destroying mission all to keep their Monopoly grip on the Oil Trade. Idiots like dumbed down Stiner is why America is also doomed. Ignoramt as F@ck..

            Yeah I bet the criminal CIA just is gleeful watching Nations and people suffer because of their genocide. They poisoned Chavas. Killed Khadafi in Libya, trying to take down Syria. Antually Russia is trying to help Venezuela and why Russia is the new BoogieMan.

            Its all phony propaganda trying to call it socialism. Its a country that shares its oil profits with its people. Just like in Alaska where that states residents get an oil check every year. Unlike Capitaludm where the Government and Corporate Fascists loot Ameticas Oil and resources for their own greed and you dont get Sh!t!!! What a Country. People need to get educated on facts. Stop buying into phony propaganda.

            • Starvation is in America also. 40 to 50 Million people depend on EBT Food Stamps. Take that commie EBT Food Stamp Program away which is Commie Socialism and see how often you eat meat. So is Social Security. More commie socialism and well as Medicare, public education, the national road system and public transportation All damn Communism and socialism.

              And the moron tards want to label Veneszuela’s problems all on Commie Socialism. Get real.

              • Want to see manipulated US food Prices drop bigtime? Cut off EBT Cards. Its all propped up by the Commie Food Stamp Program. Want to know why US College tuitions are so high? Cut off US GOVT guaranteed student loans cimmie socialism program and watch college tuition drop dramatically. Its all propped up by communism and there is no free market cimpetition that companies have to work. Its all Fascist socialism. Socialism bankrupted the US.

                • People want to point to other countries, but in my neck of the woods, the poverty level is at 25%. There are no jobs (unemployment is at least 20%), population is decreasing and our $200,000 a year judges are handing out foreclosures like candy. The banks caused the meltdown in the housing industry and the subsequent meltdown of the entire economy which led to further unemployment.

                  So what did our caring government do. they not only went along with millions of ILLEGAL foreclosures by not punishing any of the criminal Banksters, but they also rewarded them to the tune of a TRILLION dollars of taxpayer money? This TRILLION dollar gift, in the name of a “bailout,” was on top of the already TRILLIONS they had scammed (stolen) from investors and homeowners.

                  I’ll worry about Venezuelans when when they fix what is broken in our country. But, I am not going to hold my breath waiting for that to happen.

                • NOW THERE ARE FOUR DEPUTIES THAT WERE HIDING DOING NOTHING!

                  ht tp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5428851/FOUR-deputies-failed-enter-school-building-shooting.html

                    • ANTI-NRA PLACES TO BOYCOTT!

                      Hertz
                      Chubb
                      Met Life
                      Symantec
                      Teladoc
                      Simplisafe
                      Best Western
                      Wyndham Hotels
                      Alamo Rent A Car
                      National Rent A Car
                      Enterprise Rent A Car
                      First National Bank of Omaha
                      Delta Airlines
                      United Airlines

                    • When Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel Was Accused of Corruption, He Responded: ‘Lions Don’t Care About the Opinions of Sheep’

                    • Lets put this in context. All Enterprise Rent a Car did was end their 10% Discount for NRA members. Probably the same with the other rent a car businesses. It not really anti 2nd Amendment. That’s business and Discrimination. Like giving Senior citizens discount. Or AARP BS. F@ck Old people, pay your fair share you drooling fat slobs.

                      Hell, immediately END all Military Veteran’s 10% discounts every where, they have Murdered more people on this planet than any armed gang out there. 1.2 Million killed in Iraq alone. Most civilians. The US Military murder’s hundreds of people daily. Boycott all Veterans discounts. F- Them too. Nations Destroying BS.

                      Its OK for Mass Genocide and war crimes Discount, but they don’t want you to be able to protect yourselves or your family kind of discount.

                      WTF?

                  • And here come the lawsuits in 3…2…1…
                    I’m sure the scumbag lawyers are salivating all over this get rich quick opportunity right now.

                    • As well they should,,,

                  • Genius, betcha anything they were ORDERED to stand down and wait. Wouldn’t want the black ops team inside getting shot by the cops.

                    • Ya I would bet on that too. The sheriff of COWARD county is as corrupt as it gets evidently too. I am getting so sick of false flag shit! Oh and retarded, imbicilic leftist shit too! God I’m glad I’m older and had some fun in my life before all this shit happened…

              • 1)It must be just a coincidence that every single fully socialist country is a dictatorship that murders millions of its own citizens and destroys the country. USSR, Communist China, Cambodia, North Korea, Cuba and now Venezuela.

                2) Take all those EBT cards away and the lowest income Americans would NOT have the highest incidence of obesity and diabetes in the world, nor would anyone starve.

              • IF EVEN HALF OF WHAT YOU SAY IS TRUE………THAT MEANS WE ARE IN DEEP SH!T……………. OUR BIGGEST PROBLEMS IS………..WE THE PEOPLE CAN’T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT……….THE BEAURCRATS HAVE ALL THE GUNS AND POWER…………..WHEN DID WE LOSE THE WAR ? ?
                THEY CAN LEVY THE DEPRESSION ONTO US ANYTIME THEY CHOOSE……….ITS JUST A MATTER OF TIME. SCOOTERDOG

            • It is just a coincidence that every single fully socialist country is a dictatorship that murders millions of its own citizens and destroys the country. USSR, Communist China, Cambodia, North Korea, Cuba and now Venezuela.

          • Let’s not forget about the sanctions and the constant destabilization efforts by the U.S. To think that this is all about a failure of socialism demonstrates people’s lack of political knowledge and their capacity to suck up propaganda.

            All one has to do is to look at the present system of capitalism in AmeriKKKa and the growing number of poor and high rate of unemployment to see that we are following Venezuela down the same road despite the fact that we have no sanctions levied against us and we are no where near a socialist system.

            Venezuelan people did not vote for US intervention into their country. Under Chavez’s rule they were doing fine. As soon as he died, the AmeriKKKan vultures swooped in deeming it their best opportunity to start ripping away at the flesh of the people.

          • Venezuela was once well off.

            But they wanted more for less, so they embraced socialism.
            Then they turned in their guns.
            Then they starved.

            Fuck em. Let all brown turds shrivel up and dissipate in the wind.

            • Government control at it’s best.

            • Socialism appeals to:

              1) Slackers thinking they’ll get something for nothing

              2) Psychopaths thinking they’ll be running the whole thing

            • Oh, so the idiots turned in their guns? I didn’t know that. Oh, and so now even IF there were wild animals to hunt now they can’t even hunt cuz no guns? Idiots!!! I know what it’s like to go hungry. I starved a bit 30 yrs ago when i lost my job for 2 months. I didn’t have any food in the house. I think i had some crackers tho and some soup. I went to bed hungry every nite. After i got another job i started to stock up on food so i will never starve again. I learned a big lesson then. That is what got me into “prepping”. I didn’t even have any rice or cerial or milk or butter. Oh, i think i had some popcorn to pop. I did go to a soup kitchen 2 days a wk to eat, but it was only one meal a day and i was hungry at bedtime. Because i starved now i have a bad habit. I don’t want to go to bed with an empty stomach so i eat some chips or a peanut butter sandwich. Starving is the worst!!

              • Oh I bet it is! I also bet you would rat out someone who was “hording” if you were promised some food. That’s the problem we face as preppers…. RATS! Many millions will be RATS! Many millions will die for it too. Glad you learned from your experience, many don’t….

        • Unfortunately for most Venezuelans, they are poor and uneducated a “proving ground” to exploit by the communist elites. If only they had access to weapons, this regime would be toppled.

        • Like most socialist Chavez only got elected fairly once. After that he cooked every single election. The government knew how people voted. Any government employee who voted against Chaves lost their job and the government employed a lot of people, and more as Chavez steadily seized more and more businesses.

        • A Cryptocurrency backed by gold reserves? I thought that was pretty much all sold off.

        • No they did not…all this because of the powerholders in USA wanted their oil. Even an ignorant fool can figure this out!!!

        • Eating meat is a cause for cancer. He should consider himself fortunate.

        • test

      2. Nothing but more COWARDS, drunks, and programmed indoctrinated dumbed down toxic dumps, who cannot even realize and have NO ABILITY to understand they live in a climate zone where they can grow HEALTHY REAL FOOD all year long….same exact dumbed down indoctrinated programmed insanity in the psychopath controlled collapsing Police State hell on earth of damned and doomed New Babylon America….epic, epic times to be alive Lord and to witness this deranged dumbed down insanity across the entire earth!!!

        • yep, sure is a sad state of affairs.

        • The dirt poor farmers in the boonies are probably watching this on satellite TV and wondering where the food shortages are. “Carlos! Kill us a chicken for dinner!”

        • It’s too bad they don’t grow food, but if only some grow it then the others will steal it. It needs to be everyone growing it. Seems like yes they are dumbed down not thinking to grow food and being dependent upon the system. Pity.

          • You talkin about the USA?

          • The US is doing the same thing to Venezuela as it did to Cuba back in the 60’s. After the Cuban Missile crisis. Russia abandoned Cuba, and the US boycott and sanction left Cuba in the same desperate situation. The Cuban people pulled up their boot straps and began a massive effort to grow their own food and plowed their fields with mules. Boycotts and sanction only hurt the little people. Those in power still eat meat everyday. Similar Politics is killing Venezuela. Its all about the US Oil Monopoly.

            What’s killing the US population today is the IRS. AKA: F@cking parasites stealing our productivity and profits to feed their Military adventurism. Why even work if they steal it all. Never Ending Wars of $20 Trillion in Debt. Stop Feeding the Beast. Stop feeding the Banksters.

      3. Drill Bay Drill!!!
        USA, USA, USA!!!!!!
        Sgt.

        • DRILL BABY DRILL.

          USA, USA, USA!!!!!

          I dropped a b.
          Sgt.

      4. The Maduro Diet.

          • good video

            notice how food is used as a political weapon.

            belong to the correct party and you get to eat.

            • Literally “beans and rice” if you can afford it!

          • I love fish head soup. Yummy.

        • thankfully, they have reduced cannibalism to a misdemeanor…i hear the subways down there are offering inch-longs…..ahh, those jokes about venezuela NEVER get old….

      5. Rock stew or bone soup? Anyone?

        • Reminds me of hunting Guey Ducks. How do you know when cooking the Guey Duck is finished?

          Put a rock in the pot with the duck, when the rock is soft, throw away the duck and eat the rock.

        • perhaps long pig coming soon.

      6. Why don’t the idiots lv the country? Do they have basic thinking ability to pack up and leave? They speak Spanish elsewhere, so they can find work. Out of control breeding in some areas means people cannot feed their kids.

        • When you look for news on Venezuela on youtuve, take notice that most of the articles are from Al Jazeera. Very little US news reports?

          Why do you think that is?

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfswZyKHFuk

          • The MSM in the US is just roasting Trump 24/7 over a slow fire of fake news.

            There is no other news to be seen. Just continuous hate and vitriol for Trump.

            Russian Collusion, Russian Collusion, Russian Collusion, Russian Collusion, Russian Collusion.

            Mass starvation, canibalism and genocide by the Venezuelan government doesn’t ring any bells at CNN or MSNBC

            • another great post, plan.

            • Another reason why I dumped the Cabal’s Commie Cable TV 3 years ago. Its all Fake BS Lie TV. Are you still paying every month to be Lied To? Cut the Cable cord and go for a bike ride. Get your fat ass donut eating wife off the couch and out in the field planting a garden to feed your family this year. Go a year with no TV. Got your seed vaults? Get planting. Rent a tiller and make a garden plot and start eating healthy.

        • Laura, wrong, they fucked up their own once great country, so they should stay and live in their mess, not flee to another place just so they can screw it up too.

          I’m against all immigration, unless they can prove that they will provide useful skills and not just be consumers, breeders, and useless parasites of society. No asylum for refugees fleeing from anywhere. They should fix their own part of their world.

        • Laura, just leaving is much more difficult than you think. Anytime you you cross into another country, you must cross TWO borders. The country you live in may not allow you leave. Worse the country you’re running to will not allow you to cross into or even through it. The government may not permit you to work(green card) so must work illegally. That is why Venezuelan MDs, lawyers, engineers etc. have been ending up working in the brothels of Columbia. As an American, I can fly to China tomorrow and have multiple job offers, food, and a decent place to live within two days. I have been involved with this scenario multiple times; what I’m telling you is a fact. I’m currently involved with a multi-national group of families helping a vulnerable family in Venezuela. The bread winner is a highly successful and respected medical professional. We have been trying to help them flee to ANY country. We have been working on this for months with no hope of success in sight.

        • they don’t leave because of a variety of reasons: (1)they can’t get across the borders; the neighboring nations have closed their borders to all or almost all Venezuelans. (2)they are so weak from hunger their brains literally are not working properly, to either make a decision or to handle the process of leaving…. (3)They have a loved one who is in dire straits and are unwilling to abandon them in Venezuela; (4) they don’t have the funds or documentation to travel without being arrested — and the police do NOT feed the prisoners any more.
          There are more reasons but these will do for now. I corresponded with a friend for 6+ years, who was studying in the Caracas area. He almost starved; at one point he stayed alive on toothpaste alone. Go ahead, try living on toothpaste for a week. He was stuck there for a year after graduation because his own country (in Africa) is almost as corrupt as Maduro’s; his govt kept claiming there was no money to bring him home. It’s more likely they were hoping he’d scrape funds together from family etc and not burden the govt with the need to keep its promise.

      7. Depending where you live, plant fruit trees, nut trees, berry bushes, edible flowers, grape vines, olive trees.

        When buying a house, don’t just look for the best house. Only buy a house with a large enough lot to grow fruit trees and have a garden. Look for a home with old established trees and some younger trees. Look for a home with a sprinkler system or adequate water. Put in a catch water system to keep the cost of watering down to a minimum. Put in a well.

        Get some hens, rabbits, a few goats, fish. If the property is large enough get large livestock. If not, use the land you have.

        Store only canned goods without the plastic lining. Tomatoe products should only be stored for two or three months in cans. Glass is better for tomatoes and tomato sauce.

        Store a bucket of mixed beans, bucket of whole grain organic brown rice (freeze rice for two days before putting in bucket to kill worm larvae). Store additional white rice which keeps longer. Do not just store food. It goes bad in time. Eat from your adequately stocked pantry. Just have more food than most.

        You should be able to survive a food shortage fairly easily. Have plenty of honey, and learn how to keep bees. Learn how to make bread. Store some flour, salt, spices. Learn how to use food and spices as medicine.

        Buy gardening tools that will last. Stay away from made in China. Look for American made tools. Some tools made in Germany and Japan such as knives are excellent. Put a fireplace in your home, a wood stove. Keep firewood. Learn to bottle can food. Learn to sew. Learn to work leather into shoes, bags, belts. Learn to make tools, work with iron, wood, and do some of your own plumbing. Read a book about electricity, chemistry, making guns.

        Stop believing that someone is going to save you. Cinderella is a tale. The government doesn’t care about you. Take personal responsibility. Family first. Men and women are not the same, they compliment one another. Good luck. Attitude is powerful.

        _

        • WHAT!!!!

          you mean they should WORK for their food!!!!!

          The hell you say.

        • i don’t think very many peeps in America know how to do that anymore 🙁

          • Ya, dig hole, insert plant, cover with dirt, water. That probably is like rocket science to most people now days.

            • And where would you suggest all urban apartment dwellers start their garden — on their fire escapes? Land is power, land is wealth, land means you have a better chance of survival and offers some freedom. These are the reasons why government is hell bent on making sure most of the dumbed down population are moved into the cities.

              I live in a rural area where EVERYONE knows how to plant, but they all have the necessary land on which to grow food. Think before you write, Mr. Rocket Science!

            • Hey, did any of you see the movie The Martian with Matt Damon? Good movie. He got stranded on Mars and he used his brain and built a growing room out of another room. He lugged in martian dirt which looked like sand. He made water out of the air with a machine. He had some potatoes and instead of eating them he cut them up and planted them. He used lights and water inside the room and the potatoes grew real good. He had some other food but he had to ration everything. The potatoes he grew lasted about a whole year. He improvised and did not wait for help to arrive as it would take a few years. I didnt see the end of it yet….

        • Good luck trying to pry anyone under 40 away from a video screen. The worst are those under 15, who have never known anything other than 24/7 connectivity and are totally mesmerized digital zombies.

          Look at those Florida kids screaming leftist dogma in unison. None of them seem capable of independent, rational reasoning. Coming generations are being molded into compliant, narrow-minded groupthink drones that remind me a lot of the massive crowds that hysterically saluted and cheered Hitler in the old 1930s newsreels.

        • All of these suggestions are useless when hunger strikes.
          Just as we that stored food will find out when this nation collapses.
          Try stopping an apple thief 24/7!!:-)

          • Jay-Jay:

            So, just throw up your hands and do nothing?

            No one knows what exactly will happen.

            It’s probably going to be a quiet, slow death in America.

            Radio waves from smart phones cause impotence and low fertility. Old people die, young fail to reproduce. Refuse to lift a finger to feed yourself because of what, fear of apple thieves?

            _

          • AVERAGE APPLE THIEF SHOULD PROVIDE 20-30 LBS OF JERKY. fair trade.

            • Average lifespan of apple thief here….. 30 seconds.

      8. Those who quit without notice risk losing their pension,,,,,
        Wow,
        If they are that stupid that they think they will get a pension, i guess they deserve whatever crap is dealt,,,,

        • Hitler was asked why the Christians and the Clergy did not object to the Nazi crimes and murders.

          He said that the clergy and church people were too afraid of loosing their menial little jobs to object.

          I used to work with people like that. They could not see past their paychecks. I always said that they “thought poor”. If you pay attention, you will see people like that. They complain about a $100 medical bill or $80 utility bill as if it were the end of the world.

          • Yup and people that act like if they miss a week of work they will die too. Hmmm, maybe they will?

          • Revelation 2:9,3:9 John 8:44?

          • 95% of Catholics in Germany supported Hitler. And a handful of 3ews like G Soros sold out his own people. He was a Rat. Nothing changes.

            • Tharshebl:

              Soros was 15 years old in 1945. He didn’t do squat during the war. That bs story is pure propaganda to demonize the Germans. He is part of his own people who planned that war and every other war for hundreds of years, and they ARE the owners of the Central Banks, for whose profits all wars are waged. The people who died, who were burnt alive were Christian, even those in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the heaviest concentration of Christians in Japan.

              _

              • George himself claimed to be a Nazi collaborator who sold out fellow Jews. I believe him.

      9. We’ve people, our own real and natural citizens here in the the US, that are not much better off. I figure once we get our own mess straightened out then we can worry about some other nation. Until then, sorry Venezuelans – fight back and take your country back. If I’ve learned anything is that there are some things you cannot be just given without a reason; and moreover, never can these things be demanded and have any worth: freedom, honor, love, respect, loyalty, pride, satisfaction, friendship…. to name a few. We may be born with God-given rights; but, it is up to each of us to secure them for ourselves and those we care for.

        • The only people I have ever seen go hungry are people on Meth.

          I have never seen anybody go hungry in America. The poorest of the poor are also the most obese.

          47 million on food stamps in America. That is socialism.

          • John S., I’ve seen hunger here in the US. Usually children with those same people you mentioned as parents. But then, there’s other things people are hungry for – even if they don’t know it. Purpose. A reason to get up each day. You’re right about socialism. It saps the will of people to think that they, their efforts, matter. Here’s a quote you may or may not have heard: “We have found it is better to build than to destroy, for in building there is occupation for the body and the mind. When each man does his best with his materials at hand, he is proud of his work and is happy with his life. Hatred only rises when some agency destroys or attempts to destroy those things of which we are the most proud-our crafts, our traditions, our faith in man…. The only good government is that government under which a people is busy and, as an individual, is valued for himself” John, that is the hunger we must address as a nation. The ravenous starving for a reason for each man to be proud of himself. The people are indeed starving because so many do not see that they have or are valued.

            • Ummm actually a lot of them have no value. I’m serious too, a lot of people are just a waste of air…

              • The fat ugly lazy smoking Walmartian types with body tatoos, piercings, hideous hair colors, pin cushion faces, ear lobe holes begging for me to put fricken padlocks in, breeding and pumping out kids they can’t afford, paying for their items with money stolen from the taxpayers, are completely worthless parasites of society.

              • Guys, please don’t misunderstand what I’m trying to say. I agree that there are many beyond any hope of being redeemed or salvaged. Those, like scrap metal, need to just be tossed in the smelter (I think the Chinese call it ‘crap-alloy’). My point is that the system with all the hand-outs, the political correctness, the social-correctness, the acceptance of the lies that the government is there to help all no matter the problem – from the bogus (flat-broke – the money is gone, plain and simple – and impossible to fund) socialism that is Social Security to swiping an EBT card, from ‘no child left behind’ (when the kid is just born stupid or criminal) to striving to preserve life; rather…. existence, beyond any quality in actuality…… From public housing to the current bleeding heart notion of somehow ILLEGAL immigration is not an invasion or ‘don’t you dare carry a gun and protect yourself because it is a gun-free zone’… That is what I’m trying to say. That until each of us looks in the mirror and not only resolves to really be free of any and all government input into our lives, we all are a bit guilty. And then, to go beyond the resolution to live free; more, to do it. To give up the pretenses, the self-convinced lies that ‘it’s okay, I paid in…… I am owed’, when there is simply nothing left to take from but your children or their’s (is that not parasitism in the extreme to rob the next generations and those not even born yet?), to come to reality, the facts, to not deny what ‘is’. Then we’ve a chance. Don’t you all see? If we let the foot in the door of our lives by the government in any way, shape or form that we invite our own ruin? Just like Venezuela.

            • Socialism is about community and the greater good for all. Obviously, it is something selfish, ego-centric AmeriKKKans struggle to understand as they thrash about in their individualistic “go for the gold” attitude that elbows anyone who is less aggressive out of the way. Does anyone really think that a system based on accumulation (greed) and individuality will ultimately survive? If so, they are sleep walking through our present malaise. Just take a look around. We finally have a president who embodies all of the worst characteristics of the AmeriKKKan people — a fitting leader to oversee the continued decay of this nation.

              • Doran, I hope you’re just posting to cause an effect. That you don’t believe those words. Socialism has caused the largest number of deaths in history. Individualism is what has caused all technological progress. The idea that what YOU create makes a difference. For if you are not important, than who is? Answer- no one. Socialism is to deny the right to life, liberty and the pursuit (not promise) of happiness.. To support anything else and call yourself an American is to be ready for my cordial yet insistent request that you leave my country. For it, by your own words, is inherently not your’s.

          • But i starved 30 yrs ago. I didn’t have food stamps. I lost my job and starved until i found another two months later.

            • Ehhh, 30 years ago I had a job and hated it. Due to the shit that happened at the time I quit that and moved to a different state with 400 bux in my pocket. I had what fit in the back of my datsun truck. I had mechanical problems on the way and spent some $ and ended up making it there with 300 bux and luckily a couch to crash on for a couple nights till I rented a room and went crazy applying for jobs then landed one. I quickly got raises (as I am good at doing things) and made a living for a couple years till I got a union job (equipment operator, same as when I left). And was able to really have a living. I have stayed in my truck a few times but I never starved (thanks to 7-11 hot dogs) But I pulled my ass out of it every time! And I know relik will whine about my union affiliation but hey man ” THE BEST TALENT DOESN’T GRAVITATE TO THE LOW PAYING JOBS!” I kick ass at my job and therefor I have the luxury of taking or leaving them. I am also not an idiot that is in debt! My life is great because of that, can you say the same?

              • Oh I did have an 80 buck a month loan payment too. I made it ok and paid it off. I can be a frugal mofo when I need to be. But now with my non stupid investments and not trying to live like a king I have my own private Idaho lol.

                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNjo63Ytdek

                • Sounds just like that 124 mile area of the Portneuf River tributary area off the Snake River. Where all the liquor corn stills are a smoking. You must not be far from Pocatello?

      10. Now dig this shit. Remember that Beta test the scientist told me about. Well I was told that this was the beta test on a larger scale planned for America. All the workers in that country are mindless idiots. From the moment SHTF commences, you need to take action and find food and prepare to survive. And this is advice for new preppers. But since those idiots over there still believe that things will be back to normal. People, this is new norm. 2018-2025, its down hill from now on. No one is going to take food into that country. The UN is behind the collapse. They are the ones who have done that. The global elite will have destroyed the entire planet and wiped out the entire population by 2025. This is what I was told. I laugh my ass off when I listen to jokers like Cory Good and David Wilcox talking about the cabal has been defeated and that disclosure is coming starting by the end of this year. TOTAL COMPLETE BULLSHIT. TOTAL BULLSHIT. Look what just happened in Syria with Israel. WW3, people this is what will be used along with bio weapons to cull the populous. David Hodges just mentioned that silicon valley is bugging out, leaving the entire area, running to New Zealand and Pine Gap. Its fixing to go down.

        HCKS.

        • Civil war will be the next step for Venezuela.

          • Civil war? With what, butter knives? 🙂

            • Are they too stupid to improvise weapons too? Even naggers can do it jeeez.

            • actually there ARE guns – brought in by gangs, NWO-instigators, etc. My friend said it was common t hear gunfire nightly. But the common people don’t have them… only the military, the police, and criminals.

        • Been a while since I have heard from you HCKS. You didn’t get flooded in Hurricane Harvey, did you?

        • Hi HCKS;
          How are you? I don’t always agree with your posts but you have sure improved your grammar and spelling over time. Good for you!

          • anon, missed your posting lately. Hope all is well.

            • Ketchup;
              Thank you.

        • there are people from New Zealand that read this.
          to make things worse Hillary is coming here in May, probity with her family.

        • I agree with you Hicks. And the UN is responsible i know. I didn’t know the timeline tho as you said 2018-2025 and killing off the population. That seems to fit in. It’s all controlled. I suppose it will end very bad. I am in my late 60’s and i wonder if i will see the end of things, or the midway. Not good to be old when the sh*t hits. Well, at least i got wisdom, but what good will that do me if i’m starving?

        • Hcks you are a liar. You said the Cops said it was a Beta Test now its your scientist friend voice in your head said it was a Beta Test. You are a fraud. Go back to your cardboard box.

      11. Venezuela is worse that most but nations with latino roots culturally have a higher degree of tolerance for corruption than those from northern Europe. Italy is just a step away in this tolerance.

        • That’s like saying the reason why South American countries are Latino is because they are tolerant. No. They are third world, sh*t hole, banana republics because they are lazy. Same thing in the United States. We are just a developing third world, sh*t hole, banana republic.

          My dream is that someday corruption, cronyism, and (dare I say) capitalism will be considered capital crimes. But that won’t happen.

          You think Elon Musk is building rockets to put you in orbit?

          Instead of nuclear missiles orbiting the earth threatening to blow the place to hell and gone, Musk is going to sell space to the professional politicians, the corporate oligarchs, the rich elites.

          While they are sunning themselves in low Earth orbit, the rest of us will be left crawling around in the sh*t and poison they left behind.

          • You know, that makes sense when you see the chemtrails and all the other poisons in the food and water..
            Wonder how much it’ll cost??? 🙂

            • There will be ads on the moon soon …..

              • Will we be able to see a flashing billboard on the Moon, on a clear night of a New Moon?

          • A substance farmer in Central America isn’t lazy. These nations have been governed by corrupt thugs virtually since their inception and often with the help of the CIA.

            • You rise up. Their failure to rise up is because they are lazy. Fear is a kind of laziness.

              • the blame-e

                “fear is a kind of lazy”

                Just to be sure I looked up the definition of both fear and lazy. They’re as close as cars are to apples.

                • Stupid is kind of lazy too. You apparently have plenty of that.

                  • Me?

                    Certainly sir you jest as Mr Webster’s Dictionary supports my allegation that fear and lazy have no commonality.

                    • I’m too lazy to be scared 😐

          • Musk put his car in space. I can’t think of a bigger finger to the rest of us than that.

            Musk is not going to space to help humanity; he is going to space to help the rich go to space. Ignorant n#ggers aren’t going to space. Fat people won’t be going to space.

            The best thing Latin America has given the world is Latin American women.

            • Here a thong. There a thong. Everywhere a thong, thong.
              Love me some of them Brazilian womens. Mama mia.

        • Every Country the CIA operates in turn to Sh!tholes. Thats your common denominator. Its not hispanics or socialism. Its the CIA and Western Goverments acting in concert to keep their fascist corporate monopolies running the Globe. Hunger is a byproduct of Nation Destroying.

      12. they have a climate where they can grow gardens and graze livestock year round. and they are going hungry?

        • You gotta have seeds to grow, man. Not those Monsanto death seeds either. Somebody got so hungry that they ate their seed crop.

          • The Venezuelian government provides the seed and dictates to farmers what is grown. Mostly its cash crops that are exported to enrich the elite. Seeds just aren’t available to the public for backyard gardens.

            If locals are able to grow anything it’s subject to theft by gangs of people who will trample a whole garden to find that one ripe tomato.

            Venezuelans gave up their gun rights and are now slaves to the government and criminal gangs including the police.

      13. “Venezuelans are collapsing from a corrupt autocracy.”

        Like, so what? Venezuela is a third world, sh*t hole, banana republic. When they start collapsing from a corrupt oligarchy like we have here in the United States then I’ll pick-up the phone.

        Meanwhile. Busy signal.

      14. The Venezuelans are dying because they don’t want to live. Same thing happening here. You just don’t see it. Go to the west coast. Temperate climate. There are more homeless Americans and homeless illegals than not.

        • Democrats and Liberals would have you believe those people are the backbone of this country.

      15. “Traitors to the homeland”, that is an apt description of the capitalistic greed running and ruining America. The imperialistic inhumane hyper assholes are to blame for the Venezuela condition. Every nations oil is somehow theirs, nationalize for the peoples benefit and this is the outcome. Evidence enough that the US will slaughter all who stand in the way of independent nations controlling their large oil reserves. Collusion from polluters to have their filthy way destroying life and the Earth itself. Zero innovation that benefits mankind, Tesla technological advances buried is criminal. Stick a fork in this nations people as it’s all downhill from this point forward. Trump and his cabinet are the latest figureheads assuring the inevitable collapse of human rights and freedoms.

        • Bravo aljamo, well put.

        • Agreed. All systems can be corrupted by its leaders. Some systems are fraught with inherent flaws of logistics and morality — ours is one of them. There is no socialist system that can be fairly judged because the leading capitalist countries made sure always they failed through sanctions, trade barriers, and forceful regime change.

          It is the same when the US destroys a country through economics and bombs, and then wonders why they are so many refugees. The larger problem is those who choose to believe this propaganda and the lies of our system and the lies of our president. This misplaced loyalty is by far the greatest impediment to improving this country. It seems as if even many of the downtrodden favor a system that puts the wealth in the hands of a few.

          Does anyone ever do the math? As the less than 1% puts more in their coffers, the poverty level increases by an equal amount. When one person takes 19 pieces of the pie, leaving only one piece to share amongst the remaining 19, it is no mystery why they are doing with less.

      16. Unfortunately, the Venezuelan people believed the big lie, that socialism would usher in peace, plenty, equality, security, human dignity, and justice, it would be a paradise for all people – rubbish. Now the dumbed-down SJW’s, many millennials, students, antifa, BLM, radical feminists, illegal immigrants and other groups of people here want socialism and communism, they believe the big lie too.
        Without trying to be facetious I can only really describe these snowflakes as nothing more than losers, boring, altogether insignificant, in every sense of the word. Please don’t take this as ridicule, it is not, it is an honest and objective assessment. These third-world wannabes live better than 90% of the world including everyone who lives in socialist/communist countries. They don’t realize people in other countries laugh at them. My wife knows young people in Russia who would be ecstatic to trade place with these unhappy snowflakes who suffer so much here in the US.
        We have all seen many of the SJW’s are fat, they have no work ethic because they never had to, they were reared on entitlement, sadly they are mostly dim-witted. Actually, they would not be able to exist in a socialist paradise, one can easily observe they have no coping skills of any kind. Because of their parasitic nature if or when the time comes the US is no longer the land of plenty they will die out.
        It is both needless and pointless to give them any audience at all, their movement will cease to exist because they simply don’t possess the intelligence or fight it takes to be a determined or long-term force. Just arrest and punish them if they commit violence or property damage. Just in case some snowflakes happen to read this post I want to close by saying I am a Southerner – GOD bless the South.

        • So if I quit my job and paying taxes they will die faster? WOOOT!

          • Who is John Galt…?

        • I hope the dumb snowflakes end up starving in FEMA camps someday!

      17. I live on an island that can easily be self sufficent for food production, but it is infested with Democrats, so we have to import food. Venezeula has the same problem, people like our Democrats.
        The worlds problems can all be traced to people that hold the same beliefs as Democrats. Notice I said beliefs, as Democrats do not reason or think, which is why they typically occupy the lowest caste in every society.

      18. Air pudding is not to filling but it does make you drop the pounds.

        • Funny.

          Up here in the Great Lakes Region, the U.S. and Canada are being pressured to pay back the trillions and trillions they borrow from China with water.

          Same thing with coal if anybody were to look closely to the reason behind coal mining being shutdown. It’s not. Look at Powder River. Ask the Canadians how much U.S. coal is being exported out of the Port of Vancouver BC Canada.

          Supposedly, both the U.S. and Canada said “No thanks.” However, just last year water pressures started dropping and aerators started being attached to kitchen, bathroom and shower facets under the guise of “conservation.”

          Aerators insert air where water use to be. Wonder who is getting the water?

          The Great Lakes are the largest source of fresh, clean, drinking water on the planet. Of course invasive species (zebra mussels from Germany and leaping carp from China), Blue/Green Algae, and lead are putting a dent in that.

          And here we all thought we were f*cked enough in the 1960s.

          • Water aerators newly installed?
            Are you saying you could buy a bathroom/kitchen faucet in the last 40 years WITHOUT one already on it?

            • These are new ones. Replaced the old ones. Except in the bathroom. The old one is still there and the water pressure sucks. Just not enough bubbles, I guess.

              The aerator in the kitchen is variable. It has a lever. Up is a lot of bubbles making the sound of a lot of water running. Down is hardly any bubbles and practically no water coming out.

              Seriously. There is no complaining to the condo association. They just throw up their hands and say they are just doing what they are being told to do.

              Welcome to the world of the surreal.

              • Here we have all the water we’d ever need and then some.
                We don’t waste it but it’s nice not having that on the list of things to prep for.

          • Nestle bought a shitload of water from the great lakes for…. 100 bux! Mutherfookers! Talk about cronyism! Who knows what othe criminal water deals are going on?

      19. Timing is so critical. Everyday you make a decision based on the circumstances around you. Most of the people in the videos are wishing they had done something different earlier. They didn’t and here they are (in deep sh*t). A year from now, what regrets will we have that we had done something differently?

      20. Just goes to show that there is no country that is safe if the shadow government wants to destroy it no matter how wealthy this country was.

        They own everything and all they need to do is shut everything down to bring a country that does not comply with there wishes down.

        Remember there objective on the Georgia guide stones:

        Maintain the population at 500 million, 6.5 Billion people need to be removed.

        More wars more poverty expect it.

        • “Maintain the population at 500 million”

          500 million negroes?

          Or something else. . .

      21. On fuel storage , found some ten year old gas I forgot about, 92 octane premium with stabil, 20 % of can evaporated but still worked in car good. I think it’s most important to store premium gas not regular.

      22. I’ve found the cheapest long term storage high protein food is dry split peas. Lentils,Pintos, Powdered milk. Fill a grey plastic 10 gallon box with 35 pounds of split peas.

      23. Can they have a revolutionary war like the USA did? Of course not, they don’t have any guns. Now how did that happen?

      24. The title of this article is very similar to a scene from Lord of the Rings. The orcs had just captured two hobbits and wanted to eat them saying to the head orc “we ain’t had no meat to eat in three stinking months.”

      25. cry me a river a tears guy – these oil company employees supported Chevez right up to his death – out there screaming their support that destroyed the country – out there screaming “Death to the USA” pinning the blame elsewhere …

      26. why don’t these use their guns to overthrow the government?

        • king krazy, they have no guns. That’s why they’re screwed.
          If they could turn the military to their side they’d have half a chance.

      27. I wonder if they get mail in venaswala .At the end of the day were all still people .They are not able to get the things there that are comfort foods or coffee .karma goes both ways .do good and good will come back ,do bad and bad things will come back to you.if we could send a care box with a couple things like coffee and other stuff.just might make there day ,to know others care.kinda like when some of us maybe had a pen pal .when we were in school.

        • Sean, that is a very kind thought… but unfortunately the mail will not get where it is sent. I sent quite a few letters and small packages to Venezuela, only one ever got to its destination – and that was 4 months later! the only way to get something to someone, is to send it to a neighboring country and have that recipient hand-carry it (discreetly) across the border, and deliver it by hand. Social networks are literally life-saving.

      28. Beans and Rice! Mexicans had subsisted on this staple for generations.

      29. If maduro’s govt. isn’t socialist then what is ? “We will build a workers paradise” “ the bourgois are exploiting you” “ workers of the world unite”. Blah blah blah ! As a man sowest that also shall he reap ! They are starving to death because they bought that garbage . We will provide everything to you comrade , just follow us. I guess the Venezuelans didn’t listen to good in history class…………..hahahahahaha

      30. I feel so bad for them. We can’t afford good meat either so we don’t get it very often but at least there is other food, for now. Praying for them, and us all.

      31. In Venezuela, hope you’re on the coast. The fish in the ocean won’t be fished out.

      32. I remember last year watching video when the crisis in Venezuela first started, I saw a lot of fat overweight Venezuelans, almost as fat as Americans. So, losing an average of 24 pounds would be a good thing both in Venezuela and the United States, a little hunger and weight loss would be healthy for most obese people. You see, socialism is good after all, it will help you lose weight

      33. Those stupid fuckers are complaining? Good for them that go Vegan!! Better yet, stop eating all things that are processed in any manner along with all meat and dairy.

      34. If Obama had gotten his fundamental transformation completed America would look a lot like Venezuela now. We were certainly on that kind of path. Furthermore, if Obama could have gotten the guns he would have gotten it done. However, he couldn’t and it didn’t! The second amendment is the keystone that holds the rest of the constitution, and therefore the country, in place.

        We should also realize if Hillary had been elected in 16 she was going to come after the guns and make an effort to complete Obama’s transformation make no mistake about that! That should be obvious now considering what all is coming out regarding the last election. These oppressive socialists (disguised as progressive democrats) are not out to save America they are out to transform America. Obama even promised the transformation (while the socialists cheered wildly in anticipation). However, we may not be out of the woods yet. If the so called democrats take control of the legislative branch come next November we could still go down the Venezuela path in spite of President Trump. When the so called democrats took over the legislative branch in 2006 is when America started down the path to the recession and that is exactly what elected Obama.

      35. He’s probably healthier than he’s ever been, if he hasn’t had meat for 2 months.

        • If I go without Dr. Pepper for 2 days I’m thuuu…..
          Who says you have to eat meat to work on a rig? Send them some Little Debbies.

      36. Vote Socialist comrade!

        …and if you don’t, we will count the vote that way anyway!

      37. The US could step in and install their puppet in Venezuela though that option might be problematic seeing as how with the Syrian situation front and center the minor skirmish down south is minor chickenfeed to the mass murderers occupying every nook and cranny in our formerly free nation. Strange how the US and Russia were on fairly good terms prior to the 2016 election. North Korea strictly a divergence tactic, the platter is full. Meanwhile censorship of dissent is cranking up on the net with facebook and youtube now banning content outside the official narrative, net neutrality nearing poof it’s gone.

      38. what does Israehell and Jamacia have in common?

        Neither won a single Olympic Medal at the Winter Games this year. Oh the Gods chosen people of friggin weak losers. Israehell tried to get sniping at Children entered as a sport.

        The US won Golds in 3 leisure sports. Ice Bowling/Shuffleboard or as they call Mens Curling in the games, Snow boarding and smoking pot.

      39. The Venezualan food crisis is good for those who like a ‘Vagitarian’ diet. Prostitution will surely rise as this is the best way to earn foreign currency and get food. It happens in every country when there is a major crisis.

      40. Tharsheblows. go and blow you gay lovers cock. Make sure you swallow too. I never once posted on this site that cops told me that it was a beta test. The scientist told me that, not cops. You are the liar cock sucker. You just jump on here out of nowhere attacking me. You trolls have lost. Coming on here cannot change the people again. Its already too late, Trump is president, he will win again in 2020, and their is nothing that you can do about that. And I still support Trump. So bend over again tonight and make sure you take it up the ass from you gay lover. You are the she who blows cock.

        HCKS.

        Agency ass clown cock sucking trolls, don’t you love it.

        • As much as I think you’re fucking crazy, I …. *AHEM*…….. agree with you………….. ack! About that douchebag “tharsheblowsmycock!”

          Keep on trucking and the Chi-Comms are coming for you!

      41. I know, Trump does leave a wishy washy devotion sensation like a seesaw.

      42. We give a SHIT why? cmon now. Got enough fucked up shit going here. REAL Americans dont give a shit abut them.

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