Caracas,Venezuela - As we enjoy today’s low gas prices here in the US that aren’t past the $5 mark, Venezuela’s oil based economy crumbles into recession. As its citizens struggle to find food in their nation. Socialist President Nicholas Maduro back in 2015 closed the 1,274 mile frontier border with Colombia to combat what he presumed were smugglers and the cause of the country’s shortage.
Just recently, the government of Maduro has re-opened the border between Colombia and Venezuela for 12 hours after briefly acknowledging their failing tactics of resolving the country’s shortage in food, medicine and basic necessities.
Colombian director of Migration commented to El Tiempo Newspaper about the influx of Venezuelans rushing into Colombia with the following.
“Colombia understands the situation of the neighboring country and that’s why we’ve allowed these people to come in and buy products,”
Since the death of Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez back in 2013, it’s vice president at the time Nicholas Maduro has steered the country through violent protest against the Government due to his weak Leadership and increasing shortages that back in the day consisted mostly of toilet paper and condoms.
Though today Venezuelans are facing shortages of mostly everything from food to basic utilities, the government has implemented rations (also known as solidarity bags) which are only distributed to socialist party members. Therefore anyone on the opposition would have to find their own ways of scavenging for food. According to Vice News
The Venezuelan Government has taken in account it’s people’s choice of party as a indication of whether or not to feed them. This direct action has led to uproars against “CLAP” which is in charge of the “Solidarity bags” and pro government politics such as Governor Yelitza Santaella has commented that people from the opposition “don’t have a right to a bag”.
Citizens who don't receive the "solidarity bag" are forced to eat meat scraps, which at one time were used to feed dogs and "chicken and beef are only for socialist" says this Venezuelan man who was interviewed by Vice News.
The clear consequences of malnutrition have effected the Venezuelan people, specially the ones opposed to the Dictatorship like Government of Nicholas Maduro. Some are calling the effects of the shortage and denial of the solidarity bag "La dieta de Maduro" which translates to "The Maduro Diet".
As borders remain closed between Venezuela and Colombia. Venezuela's citizens would be trapped to starve with a socialist government that won't feed their people and refuse to admit their wrong doing in fixing the problem.
