It appears Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has run out of other people's money. Just 8 months after his exuberant 60% approval rating at the end of last year after local elections (appealing to the ever-more-impoverished ultra-poor who remain entirely dependent on his 'fairness'), the socialist leader's popularity has plunged. As Bloomberg reports, Hinterlaces polling shows only a 39% approval rating (oddly similar to President Obama's). There are numerous reasons of course, but we suspect the news that Maduro has announced a mandatory grocery fingerprinting system to combat food shortages, will not exactly endear him to his 'followers'.
Hope and Change, it appears, fades after socialists win elections...
Maduro Approval Rating Falls to 39% in Venezuela: Hinterlaces
The President’s rating has fallen from abt 60% after Dec. 8 local elections, director of Hinterlaces polling company, Oscar Schemel, comments by phone.
But this is even better... (via AP) [2]
Venezuelans soon may need to have their fingerprints scanned before they can buy bread.
President Nicolas Maduro has announced a mandatory grocery fingerprinting system to combat food shortages.
He said late Wednesday the program will stop people from buying too much of a single item, but did not say when it would take effect.
The move was met with skepticism. Critics say the new system is tantamount to rationing and constitutes a breach of privacy.
The socialist South American country has been grappling with shortages of basics like cooking oil and flour for more than a year. The administration blames the shortages on companies speculating and people smuggling subsidized staples out of the country.
In the spring, Venezuela tried a similar system in government-run supermarkets on a voluntary basis.
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Coming to an American grocer near you soon...?
