Johnny Harris of Vox reported on the enormous numbers of refugees who have fled from Venezuela and crossed the border to live in Colombia. Since Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves in the world, one might wonder how it came to be an economic basket case where inflation is so high that the paper currency needed to buy a roll of toilet paper would actually be more useful to use in the desired function than the product it is supposed to purchase.
Here is Johnny Harris reporting on the what but never on the why of the Venezuelan refugee crises. Of course to do so would put into question a certain political belief system possessed by most, if not all, of Harris' fellow Vox correspondents:
JOHNNY HARRIS: There is a crises here. Millions of people have fled Venezuela as the country crumbled.
So how did that happen, Johnny, since Venezuela is sitting on top of a sea of oil? It would be interesting to find out why this happened. Johnny? Johnny?
HARRIS: I’m eating a Venezuelan styled hot dog and the guys are reflecting on how much this hot dog would cost if they were trying to buy it in Venezuela with the current economic situation.
Gee, and what would that current economic situation be, Johnny?
HARRIS: The collapse of Venezuela didn’t happen because of a civil war or a natural disaster, but rather the colossal economic mismanagement by the country’s leader, Nicolas Maduro. In just a few years, Maduro grabbed control of most of the government and then drove the country into an economic disaster worse than the Great Depression and the fall of the Soviet Union.
Yeah, it was all Maduro's fault. Blame him and not any particular economic system which must not be named since we are supposed to believe Venezuela would be a Worker's Paradise if only Hugo Chavez had not died even though the country was falling apart before he departed.
HARRIS: Here at the border, you go down the street a little bit, and you see this sign that says "Welcome to Colombia." Above it, it says, “Colombia and Venezuela, united forever." In spite of these two countries being different, having very different governments, there is this common identity among the people.
Hmmm.... Colombia has a government in which free enterprise capitalism is the basis of their economy. So what type of government does Venezuela have? Could you tell us, Johnny? Johnny? Anyone?
