Which state is worse - Colombia or Venezuela?

[JackRiddler]

The Colombian government receives U.S. aid and is considered a partner in the U.S. government's war on drugs.

The government of neighboring Venezuela is often treated as a U.S. enemy and frequently condemned by the U.S. government.

Based on what you know about both countries in recent years, which of the two represents the more repressive regime?

Feel free to debate.

4 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Colombian government is worse
	1 (25%)
	Venezuelan government is worse
	3 (75%)
	Other / Tie / Please explain
	0 (0%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[NYC_SKP]

1. Florida.

duh.

[loli phabay]

3. rofl, i was looking at it as columbia south carolina and was like. uh

[ck4829]

2. I wouldn't pick one over the other

Maduro is a few fries short of a happy meal and don't be in a union in Colombia.

[JackRiddler]

5. Yes, but the U.S. government has picked one...

over the other, and that's what this poll is about. Your tax dollars go toward supporting one and attacking the other, your government has decided, and if this is a democracy you should decide too. For example you could say: "No aid to either, no condemnation for one without condemning the same or worse behavior in the other."

Another way of asking is, which is more demanding of condemnation, which is more worthy of support? Consider the poll question to be a shorthand for variations. (Shorter is better in polls so as to avoid framing bias.)

[idwiyo]

4. I'll take Maduro over US fed puppet.

Edit to add: Fuck 'War' on dugs.

[JackRiddler]

12. Indeed, but...

Fuck war on "drugs."

Since it is a war, but not really on "drugs," I think you have the wrong word in quotation marks.

Peace!

[idwiyo]

13. Agree! Fuck War on "drugs"!

[geek tragedy]

6. Venezuelan state is worse, but the rightwing paramilitaries in Colombia have to

be accounted for, especially their service to corporate interests as well as rightwing policies.

Both countries are ultraviolent hot messes.

[JackRiddler]

7. Current LBN thread on Colombia

Leftist social and political leader assassinated in southern Colombia
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014652675

[JackRiddler]

8. Current LBN thread on Venezuela

Venezuela president granted sweeping powers
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014652738

[PETRUS]

9. kick (I'm curious) nt

[JackRiddler]

10. I'd love to predict, but that could bias the results.

So I won't.

[Enrique]

11. imagine if the False Positives scandal had happened in Venezuela

you can be sure that it would be a MAJOR topic of discussion in U.S. media. But since it happened in our friend Colombia, not so much.

[Blue_In_AK]

14. I sat next to a very nice Colombian family,

a mom, dad, and two extremely handsome 20-something sons, on the plane coming back from LA this fall. I was curious about the state of their country now, and they said things are much better down there than they were in the '90s. Of course, the civil war goes on, FARC and all that, but they didn't seem terribly concerned about that. I guess it's kind of routine after all these years, just something they take for granted. They were from Medellin.

But I don't really know enough about either country to form an opinion.

[JackRiddler]

15. A nice family on the plane...

have a valid perspective all their own, like anyone else on the plane. It may differ radically from that of millions of others who could not afford a flight on any plane.

[Blue_In_AK]

17. Of course, you're right,

which is why I said I didn't really know enough to have a valid opinion. The husband was a pilot, and they were vacationing in Alaska, so obviously they were financially secure. I did enjoy talking with the mother and son who were on my row, though, and she gave me a bag of Colombian coffee while we were waiting for our bags, which I thought was a nice gesture.

[TBF]

16. AFAIC, Nicolás Maduro has some great ideas. nt

[JackRiddler]

18. New related thread

The Venezuelan right wing opposition has got to be the world's most shameless.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024517397