Dissenting socialists urge Venezuela to investigate corruption

[Zorro]

Source: Reuters

Dissenting and former members of Venezuela's ruling Socialist Party on Wednesday requested the government investigate alleged multi-billion dollar frauds they say have flourished under the South American OPEC country's strict currency controls.

Marea Socialista, a small group of leftist intellectuals, as well as fringe members of the Socialist Party, say corrupt companies and complicit officials are gaming a currency system designed to control imports ranging from foods to medicines.

Under the complex controls set up in 2003 by the late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, companies and individuals apply for access to dollars at preferential exchange rates.

"Many bureaucrats and political operators took advantage of this opportunity to bleed the country dry," said Nicmer Evans, a leader of Marea Socialista, or "Socialist Tide", in front of the comptroller's office in Caracas, where he and other dissenters presented their demands and sought to showcase a new web page for whistleblowers to denounce fraud.

Read more: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/dissenting-socialists-urge-venezuela-investigate-185652280.html

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Wonder whether these people are destined for the calabozo for voicing their complaints about government corruption.

[Archae]

1. They'll get "disappeared."

[Comrade Grumpy]

4. You're thinking of Colombia.

[Archae]

5. You really think Maduro or his goons would *NEVER* do that?

Maduro is a "rule by decree" dictator.
He can, and maybe would do that.

Just because he's a "socialist," doesn't mean he would not.

[Comrade Grumpy]

6. I can point you to reams of evidence about mass political murder in Colombia.

Can you do that for Venezuela?

No, not unless you go back to the Caracazo, which radicalized Chavez.

[Archae]

7. Yes, IN COLUMBIA.

We are talking about Venezuela.

And socialists and communists can be vicious dictators also.

When Maduro had his pet "legislature" gave him power by decree, that was a red flag.

I do realize you have Maduro as your "Dear Leader," but facts are facts.

[joshcryer]

2. Corruption and cronyism is the biggest problem.

Chavismo could work if it didn't get so scared of policing the corrupt aspects. But if you criticize those percieved as Chavistas you just get kicked out of the clique. It's the exact wrong way to go about things. Introspection in an approach is the only way to improve.

[Adrahil]

3. Price controls can never work on a large scale. They're based on wishful thinking. n/t