Descent into the Maelstrom…
Via Townhall:
So, we all know that Venezuela, once a beacon for so-called 21st Century Socialism, is pretty much a hellhole. The people are starving and eating out of garbage cans; some are even eating dogs and cats. Zoo animals aren’t safe from the starving masses. Medical supplies in hospitals are so low that basic items, like soap and gloves, are lacking. There’s even a food police unit to crack down on black market sales. Oh, and there’s no toilet paper.
On the political front, we had the Venezuela’s Supreme Court acting weird concerning separation of powers, with a brief scare that the judicial body would assimilate the duties of the legislature, which is firmly anti-Chavista. That turned out to be a false alarm, but it doesn’t mean the government hasn’t stopped killing protesters. Protests against the presidency of Nicolas Maduro, the successor to the late Hugo Chavez, have been pervasive from the opposition.
Recently, their activities have now been rendered moot by a vote that created a new legislative body on Sunday. Eight million Venezuelans voted to in effect give Maduro unlimited power (via NYT):