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Venezuela

Venezuelan Socialism in Action: Starvation for the People, Desk Empanadas for the Powerful

President Maduro pulls a tasty snack out of his desk during a live broadcast

Katherine Mangu-Ward | 11.3.2017 2:24 PM

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Large image on homepages | @Hannahdreier/Twitter
(@Hannahdreier/Twitter)

During a live televised address in Venezuela—which is the midst of a brutal food shortages brought about by a brutal socialst regime—President Nicolas Maduro pulled this stealthy snack move:

Venezuela's president, already mocked for gaining weight amid a hunger crisis, pulls out an empanada from his desk during a live TV address. pic.twitter.com/sPw63dbt83

— Hannah Dreier (@hannahdreier) November 3, 2017

The video was captured and tweeted by ProPublica's Hannah Dreier, a former A.P. correspondent in Venezuela. She notes that Maduro was "already mocked for gaining weight against a hunger crisis." Generally I'm against fat shaming, but I'm willing to grant a one-time exception.

Reason has been covering the situation in Venezuela, which continues to worsen. Good soldiers are rewarded with scarce basic necessities such as toilet paper. Citizens are urged to eat rabbits. Opposing forces have taken to the streets as the country's socialism descends into dictatorship. Meanwhile the government is reserving food aid for loyalists and others turn to bitcoin to survive.

Also this, from Remy:

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NEXT: Sen. Feinstein's Threat to 'Do Something' to Social Media Companies Is a Bigger Danger to Democracy Than Russia

Katherine Mangu-Ward is editor in chief of Reason.

VenezuelaSocialismFood Policy
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