Among the changes Venezuelans have experienced in the last years, and which the government narrative sells to the world and people's empowerment, one of the most detrimental to our overall living standards have been the deprofessionalization, if you will, of most services. Take domestic gas, for instance.
That's me in red, waiting for my gas canister, crossing my fingers to get home in one piece.
We used to have companies that provided the service, right to your kitchen. Just a quick call and in hours, sometimes minutes, you had the canister installed, by the very company employees. With the revolution the whole gas industry is in shambles and now there are communities that can spend as much as a year waiting for some canisters to be distributed, now by the local "communal council" and the canisters are poorly handled by your own neighbors, one of whom lent their house to be used as storage and you have to find a way to carry the heavy thing home and install it yourself. Sounds like a good idea, right?
Source
As you can imagine the accidents have multiplied on a daily basis.
one of the most dramatic ones in recent history happened on December 28, 2020 in the Caño los Becerros community, in the Piar municipality, state of Monagas. Residents stood in line to receive 198 cylinders after 7 months without domestic gas sales in their community .
The alleged mishandling of a 42-kilo cylinder caused an explosion that made other 160 cylinders detonate, setting those present on fire and generating an expansive wave that affected some 17 homes.
Source
After the explosion, 46 adults, adolescents and children were affected with second and third degree burns. The nearby hospitals were not equipped to treat burns and patients start dying in January. At least 9 (according to some sources) died between January 1st and February 6th
You might think that must have taught a lesson or two, right?
Wrong!
No lesson has been learned. They have kept the same distribution system. The gas company has technically disappeared (they just fill the canisters, and I wonder what kind of workers they have now because many canisters are coming from the filling centers in bad conditions and have caused quite a few accidents).
This afternoon we witnessed first hand the irresponsible handling of the gas service in our community. The two big canisters had been received allegedly with an extra of gas that was putting too much pressure, so they decided to open valve to release some of the gas/pressure.
So here we were standing in line while two big time bombs were releasing flamable gas to the street. I am not an expert in these matters and I may be overreacting, but isn't this the best way to cause "an accident" and kills some innocent people?
There were elders and children in the line; all of them seemed to be ok with what was happening, except for the strong smell. They did not like that my wife took the pictures and videos after I asked her to stay away and record the event, just in case.
And this is how improvisation and good luck accounts for the achievements of the revolution in times of crises.
I think it is just a matter of time for worse things to happen. It's simple maths.
Thanks for stopping by. I really wish I had a good report to bring you,but miracles seem to take longer these days.
I pray for Venezuela 🇻🇪. I truly hope South America will be free one day. We should unite more to spread this kind of information. Thanks for sharing my friend. I’m trying my best to expand the awareness about corruption in Brazil. One day we will remember these days and feel proud for our attitude . Best regards, @xmauron3
Thanks.
I hope that day comes soon. It won't mean much if the human and cultural cost keeps increasing.
Rooting for Brazil. Part of my heart is there
This is terrifying. And stupid and extortionate. In a country awash with gas and oil that should be benefitting her people. The greed of the regime...
You got me, too, with deprofessionalise. Is this a deliberate, mandates strategy or just the erosion of systems?
Ironically, here, there is a move, well it's been spoken about for well nigh 20 years, to professionalise the public service and appoint based on merit ans competence. I know because I was part of a team that worked on a recognition of prior learning guide. It was never used. Oh, and of course we have "cadre deployment". And people wonder why some rural municipalities are totally dysfunctional.
Thanks to avarice and corruption people, generally, a recent report is showing, worse off now than before democracy. Economically speaking, anyway.
It makes me want to scream.
Sorry for ranting.
Stay safe.
Thanks for the rant. It is needed. Many issues around the world remain unknown because people avoid talking about them
They don't want to get dirty, they don't want to be stressed, fill their lives with negativity or get in trouble with the government.
Guess what, bad/corrupt/criminal government will get to you sooner or later if not stopped, if not exposed.
Here the deprofessionalization has been intentional. Good professionals can be a pain in the ass; they know their thing, they speak their minds, they can't stand mediocrity. They have to be expunged.
Here ideological fidelity is rewarded. Never mind you don't know what you're doing. Just say yes to every order, sign whatever doc, repeat whatever lie you're told.
Lives are just collateral. We'll deal with that later, or will we? The world is not watching, those who watch can be bought, and those who can't be bought can be neutralized.
You can hear Louis Armstrong in the background.
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It has been not too long that I have been watching a recent doc on Venezuela, knowing about the issues for a while. It is just crazy.
It is crazy what happens all over the world, how those that speak up or demand a change are repressed, locked up or silenced.
It is crazy that most people don't wanna know about issues, esp in the western "civilizations" kinda like "what I don't see, hear, read is not happening" or "what does it bother me what happens in..." Venezuela, Brazil, Yemen...you name it.
Us humans seem not be able to learn from history and same seems repeating all over.
It is just crazy.
You are right. The "funny" thing is that most of the issues that have historically be confined to the third world are now happening in the first world, not at an overwhelming rate yet, but gradually those issues will knock at people's doors any time.
Maybe then they will feel the need to be more proactive and get more involved in what happens miles away from their comfort zones.
Thanks for stopping by
Your welcome :) and yes maybe then they will realize it, but I have the feeling then it will be too late. I hope I'm wrong.
Be safe, all of you :)
This should not have happened. Unfortunately, in the face of necessity, this type of solution is sought, which in the very short term has devastating consequences. If we do not become aware of the damage that is being done to us, we will not be able to correct this historical mistake in which we are involved. Our country is falling into pieces.
Yes. Most measures taken by the chavista governments in the last 20 years have been short term, to put it nicely. I'd call them efectistas, mediaticas. They became experts in painting castles in the air, and I guess there will always be an audience willing to believe in fairy tales.
It has been methodically planned, planned, though. By subjecting people to extreme poverty and need, by corrupting every single instance of governance, they make sure they can force people to do things they thought unimaginable some years ago.
If you want to keep your pride and ignore the gas distribution, then you have to face the hurdles of cooking with an electric stove. It's never easy.
That's why people still cheer when they get the canister or the clap bag, or power back; even if what you should do is curse them for all the trouble caused, and that's to put it nicely.
Some brutal stuff here man, it’s a load of horse shit. People don’t do things in an intelligent manner and the break down of society and people who run it appropriately is happening in lots of places. It’s very apparent for you in Venezuela, courtesy of the American government and billionaires who will it so by destroying your country. It’s one of the most frustrating things imaginable, destabilizing and destroying a country for financial gain. We have lots of sick people in the world who thrive off this shit.
I think we can strive to teach our children not to stoop to this level of stupidity. Over filling a gas can and just letting it blow off into the air near a crowd had to be a sure way to get people killed yet many are more annoyed with taking a video of it.. the world we are in..