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This will sound like a stupid question but I'll ask it anyway. Why can't they just drop the price controls? I expect it is ideological, but surely being alive

This will sound like a stupid question but I'll ask it anyway. Why can't they just drop the price controls? I expect it is ideological, but surely being alive trumps ideology (in that you'll starve or else people who have decided to become more flexible will kill you).

the_vzlan 10y ago
I have given a lot of thought to this question. It seems fairly simple but given that they've taken the other route, that is, force more controls, the government would look bad. I think there's a lot of internal problems within the ruling party in regards to what should be done. Unfortunately, the president is the one unwilling to see differently or "betray" his ideology (or so it seems). There are also subsidies to most products (as the government solution to some of the price caps) and last thing that has been said (in an informal setting by the VP) was that "the subsidies have been a mistake" and that they will try to fix it with some sort of "basic income" but only for the poor rather than for everyone - which opens another HUGE opportunity for white collar corruption - something the government seems to love and cherish. In short, the president preaches a radicalism that would go against taking "neo-liberal economic policies" and by doing so he (I assume), perceives that the public will find him weak. Which, paradoxically, he already is. In my view, Nicolas Maduro (our president) is in an impossible situation in which the best he can do is to step away - but this opens another pandora box that he seems unwilling to go for, as such he's doing everything in his power to avoid a referendum or any sort of democratic solution.
- internaut 10y ago
  If yourself or rafaelm could do with a food supply package and the postal system is working correctly, then email me with an address and list of hard to source foodstuffs. My email is my HN username AT fastmail.fm
  - the_vzlan 10y ago
    This is very kind of you to offer. It wouldn't be fair of me to take you up on that, the postal system is not working but private companies doing "door-to-door" deliveries do work very well (most are connected with the government). I personally have used and highly recommend one (which I can let you know in PM if you require) However if this is something within your possibilities, I'd love to pass this offer to anyone who needs it.
    - internaut 10y ago
      > I personally have used and highly recommend one (which I can let you know in PM if you require) Sounds like a good idea. > However if this is something within your possibilities, I'd love to pass this offer to anyone who needs it. You have my permission to pass the offer onto somebody else who needs it. Send details to my email.
  - rafaelm 10y ago
    Thanks a lot I really appreciate it! If you want to help, I'll see if I can find a trustworthy organization that is helping kids that need food and medicine. They are the most vulnerable right now. In their sick political games, the venezuelan government is not receiving any foreign aid because they say we don't need it. I'm not sure if there are any private organizations receiving donations. I know some of the door-to-door shipping companies the_vzlan mentions are receiving medicine and food packages but I really don't know if they are to be trusted.
    - internaut 10y ago
      > I'll see if I can find a trustworthy organization that is helping kids that need food and medicine. Sure, just pass on some information to my email address.

the_vzlan 10y ago

I have given a lot of thought to this question. It seems fairly simple but given that they've taken the other route, that is, force more controls, the government would look bad. I think there's a lot of internal problems within the ruling party in regards to what should be done. Unfortunately, the president is the one unwilling to see differently or "betray" his ideology (or so it seems). There are also subsidies to most products (as the government solution to some of the price caps) and last thing that has been said (in an informal setting by the VP) was that "the subsidies have been a mistake" and that they will try to fix it with some sort of "basic income" but only for the poor rather than for everyone - which opens another HUGE opportunity for white collar corruption - something the government seems to love and cherish. In short, the president preaches a radicalism that would go against taking "neo-liberal economic policies" and by doing so he (I assume), perceives that the public will find him weak. Which, paradoxically, he already is. In my view, Nicolas Maduro (our president) is in an impossible situation in which the best he can do is to step away - but this opens another pandora box that he seems unwilling to go for, as such he's doing everything in his power to avoid a referendum or any sort of democratic solution.

internaut 10y ago
If yourself or rafaelm could do with a food supply package and the postal system is working correctly, then email me with an address and list of hard to source foodstuffs. My email is my HN username AT fastmail.fm
- the_vzlan 10y ago
  This is very kind of you to offer. It wouldn't be fair of me to take you up on that, the postal system is not working but private companies doing "door-to-door" deliveries do work very well (most are connected with the government). I personally have used and highly recommend one (which I can let you know in PM if you require) However if this is something within your possibilities, I'd love to pass this offer to anyone who needs it.
  - internaut 10y ago
    > I personally have used and highly recommend one (which I can let you know in PM if you require) Sounds like a good idea. > However if this is something within your possibilities, I'd love to pass this offer to anyone who needs it. You have my permission to pass the offer onto somebody else who needs it. Send details to my email.
- rafaelm 10y ago
  Thanks a lot I really appreciate it! If you want to help, I'll see if I can find a trustworthy organization that is helping kids that need food and medicine. They are the most vulnerable right now. In their sick political games, the venezuelan government is not receiving any foreign aid because they say we don't need it. I'm not sure if there are any private organizations receiving donations. I know some of the door-to-door shipping companies the_vzlan mentions are receiving medicine and food packages but I really don't know if they are to be trusted.
  - internaut 10y ago
    > I'll see if I can find a trustworthy organization that is helping kids that need food and medicine. Sure, just pass on some information to my email address.