Of Fear & Hope: Embracing the Carnet de la Patria
Chavismo is advancing firmly in its plan to control what people eat, regardless of their actual needs. The Carnet is back, and many are learning to love it.
Life
Anti-Hate Law Draws First Blood
Two Naguanagua protesters have the dubious honour of being the first casualties of the nefarious Anti-Hate Law. But how is this law being applied?
Anatomy of a Media War
Telesur has quantified the evil Western media’s plan to attack Chávez’s socialist dream. The government has no data on GDP, say, or inflation, but it has detailed data on this...and it makes no sense.
My day as a Hospital Clown
For one day, I joined Dr. Yaso's legendary hospital clown crew, bringing a little joy to sick kids and their parents in Guayana. It was intense.
No food, just looting: The Hot Start to 2018
Looting and social conflict were endemic in 2017, and 2018 looks to be even more conflict-ridden. The government's attempt to let off steam by overseeing “legal looting” can barely contain people's desperation.
A Breakthrough in Huntington Country
The town of Barranquitas, on the Lago de Maracaibo, has the highest incidence of Huntington’s Disease in the world. Research there has brought an amazing breakthrough — but will the people of Barranquitas benefit?
Hacking Latin American Democracy
The days when chavismo sought influence through oil spending and ideological appeals are over. But, amid a rash of elections this year, could Maduro still hack his way back to relevance?
Hausmann Joins Team Marines
Ricardo Hausmann goes there: Venezuela needs a foreign military intervention. His case is eloquent, but why would world leaders devote their blood and treasure to our fight?
The Elephant in the Pernil Room: Subsidizing Pork is Madness
Maslow? Give me a break. Pernilgate isn't about food. It's about the illusion of abundance amid dire scarcity, and about the scale of devastation a government can inflict when nobody who makes economic policy understands the concept of opportunity cost.
Maslow's Pernil
December's pork-leg riots left middle class Venezuelans seething in contempt of people who care more about a Christmas pork roast than basic freedom and democracy. They never learned Maslow's lesson: when you're hungry, nothing else matters.
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