A question for Mark Weisbrot : Can Venezuela have "normal" (bipartisan ) "nonpolarized" politics while the country lies bleeding with widespread hunger and a foreign debt that exceeds reserves?
How do you fix an import dependant economy where short term loans due exceed reserves and there is a gaping wound built into the system?
We in the US would call it bi partisanship
The live and let live concensus. How can it work when Venezuelan hard currency reserves are at less than $15,000,000,000 and foreign debt due in 2016 is higher than that?
No public debate of serious issues, smoke filled backroom deals, sharing of government departments, jobs, contracts, major policy decisions. Today in Venezuela this could include a consensus to make international debt payments come hell or high water. And not rock the boat with a transparent popular audit of the embezzlement, with an eye to recovery of all that can be recovered, exemplary punishment of embezzlers who might get caught, priority to food, medicines, all necessities for the Venezuelan people over foreign debt repayment. Moratorium at least until it's determined what debts are lawful and legitimate.
I was looking for any acknowledgement of the embezzlement or looting of $259,000,000,000 by persons unknown from the patrimony of the Venezuelan people. I found an analysis or perhaps autopsy on the Venezuelan economy in the opposition blog Caracas Chronicles but somehow the folks over there haven't yet made a connection between a missing several billions, possibly $259,000,000,000 and the growing humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. I only find reference to the embezzlement and the looming debt train wreck from the marginaized Marea Socialista and allies like the Bolivarian Circles and former close aides to the late President Chavez.
