This country may be an energy colossus, with the largest conventional oil reserves outside the Middle East and one of the world’s mightiest hydroelectric systems, but that has not prevented it from enduring serious electricity and water shortages that seem only to be getting worse.
President Hugo Chávez has been facing a public outcry in recent weeks over power failures that, after six nationwide blackouts in the last two years, are cutting electricity for hours each day in rural areas and in industrial cities like Valencia and Ciudad Guayana. Now, water rationing has been introduced here in the capital.
The deterioration of services is perplexing to many here, especially because the country had grown used to cheap, plentiful electricity and water in recent decades. But even as the oil boom was enriching his government and Mr. Chávez asserted greater control over utilities and other industries in this decade, public services seemed only to decay, adding to residents’ frustrations.
ALSO:
Cuba Orders Extreme Measures to Cut Energy Use
Brazil Looks for Answers After Huge Blackout
johngaltspeaking
Maybe Chavez can get Sean Penn to turn a hand crank on a generator.
Don't Drink the Cool Aid
History repeats itself time and again, and we don't learn from other's mistakes. Are we that stupid? Or, greedy? Or, Power hungry?
Malaka
Coincidence? Venezuela is a 3rd world tin pot dictatorship. Leave it to Fox "News" to somehow make an irrelevant political point.
d'Raven
Hey dufus, read the full article, guess what, its from NY Times, who is irrelevant, now? You are! Nuff said
Texasgl
Is this not always the Case??? The Gov takes everything over without a CLUE as to how they work or how to run it or even how to repair it…LOOKY at How WELLThe Dems have done in the Last 3yrs..lolol ..BTW..DEMS HAVE BEEN IN CONTROL FOR THE LAST 3YRS!!!! HAVE THINGS GOTTEN BETTER FOR U IN THAT TIME??? If it wasn't just so damn ridiculous ..u would almost have to laff thinking it all one Very Bad Joke..
Delores CH WV
I GUESS AMERICA NEEDS TO SEE WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN OBAMA RUNS THIS COUNTRY INTO BANKRUPTCY.....AND THE DOLLAR IS ZERO...
magpie
Al Gore must be pleased ... no lights, no global warming ... he hopes to spread the outages worldwide
MarkD
I just want California to hurry up and crash and burn to provide the libs with a dose of reality about what is comming for the rest of us as a result of the out of control spending by Obama and Congress.
-BOSMAN-
Most every day use Candles are made in China! STOCK UP!
Jackdamaris
This is the normal results for a "fair" economy as given by socialists. Only a truly free enterprise, capitalistic economy affords the best for the most.
Lee in NC
When the black congressional caucus returned from Cuba they had nothing but praise for Castro and the Cuban healthcare system! Remember Obama said he would bankrupt any company's attempt to build coal-fired power plants?
Loyal72
We are starting to get previews of what WE have to look orward to under the BOwad! The only wealth to be allowed in any country is to be held by the "politicos", as the populace is enslaved to the supply of THEIR luxuruies!
leebob
I have a solution to their problem. We will send all congressmen/women to work with Hugo to show him how to really run a country. They are experienced at overspending and come with supurb credentials, we can even through in a boss to supervise them, he is a well known community organizer. We can quarantee you will no longer have any problems in your country. Within less than one year all you will have to worry about is the revolt, but unlike this country your people do not own guns and that should not present any lasting problem.
Rich in Columbus Ohio
pay no attention to liberal results ... only their intentions!
Communist Utopia = slavery, starvation and stagnation ... oops results again.
YOUR LIBERAL COMMANDER N CHIEF
they got chavez electric runnin real efficient down venzie way
winodrifter
They must be talking about CA.
Jenney
Liberals think that socialism is so great,, water will be rationed, electricity will be rationed for the good of the Country. You fools, you will only be enslaved to the rich. No plantation owners any more, just communists that will keep you down without the whip.
Cav03
America look to California and Venezuela for a glimpse into the future liberalism has in store for you! One complete mess! Sleep well sheeple!
Cav03
America look to California and Venezuela for a glimpse into the future liberalism has in store for you! One complete mess! Sleep well sheeple!
Henri
They've been having blackouts and brownouts in California for years. Seriously, you folks are so gullible.
SpitFireConservative (Not PC either)
Butt BO, we don't want this, we want it the way we have it now!
PATRIOT UPRISING
Don't worry friends and Patriots. Every day that passes just proves that every policy enacted by this criminal regime under O Bummer is inept, incompetent and ill-founded. I said six months ago that by Christmas people would be crying for Obama to be gone. One month to go, and when we all look at the bare tree, the empty table, the food banks with long lines - we'll all be crying for the head of Obama - on a plate. Screw Chavez, he'll be wasted by his own people. Obama - his day is coming, 2010 and 2012 will end this man's political career. He can join Carter and go build a home for "his people."
HArkansan
Blackouts, food shortages, poor medical assistance and a substandard
are all of the great "perks" that come with socialism. I can't wait until we
get switched over.
Jaded TP
And that's what liberals want the USA to be like. Being a miserable liberal is a mental disorder.
PATRIOT UPRISING
He'll be shot in a coup.
Paladin
Roosevelt (FDR) tried to control the utilities with the creation of the government controlled TVA. America survived that wave of progressivism. Now Obama is trying the same thing under the cap-and-tax scheme for control of our energy. Will we survive this wave of progressivism?
d
I fear for our future
THE TOMB
Has anyone checked to see if Hugo has been appointed a clandestine, secret, and deep cover Czar?
How soon we forget California experienced rolling blackouts this decade! New York City was blacked out a couple of times. The causes were the power grids not the lack of power! However, Cap & Trade will bankrupt the United States people we need to use the economic resources like coal and hydro that we have available in abundance and build Nuclear Power Plants.
My voice
Will this include our country, Socialist America!
Doug
Wind and solar energy have absolutely nothing to do with energy independence in the U.S.. We all ready produce 96% of our Electricity from domestic sources. I here these Enviro-Loons say wind and solar will free this country from oil dependancy. This is BULL. With out a break through in battery tech. electric cars will be limited. Even if such a break through would happen tomorrow we would not need any solar or wind to power to be energy independant. Obama has already decided against Nuclear energy. He has shut down the only nuke waste site in the country in Nevada. With no place to dispose of the waste, who is going to build a Nuke plant?
K. MARX
@navy retired idiot keeper
And....that's why you are going the way of the dinosaurs. In places like Kansas, where there is alot of wind, there are areas with alot of wind generators that produce electricity, and then, jeepers, the energy is sent over these things called cables to where it can be used, just like a traditional power plant. what a novel idea. people even sell the energy, just like a power plant.
Solar works when the sky is overcast.
DS
.....and you call others IDIOT? Wind power? Solar power? Why aren't Venezuela and Cuba using these kinds of power sources? Europe extensively uses wind power, especially coastal countries.....guess what, they're still dependent on Mid-East and Russian oil. Other countries with YOUR philosophy have used these sources of energy, and would be happy to incorporate more of it, but it is inefficient, expensive, and does NOT eliminate the need for fossil fuels. Wake up, boy. Progressive my @$$, where's the Nuke plants?
softunderbelly
Could this be why Venezuela is attempting to divert attention by creating tensions with Columbia?
PO DUCK
@k-marx; i have seen rocks with an higher IQ than you, all you put out is BS, can you give us a factual thing, anything!!!
PO DUCK
now if America can onlly get a black-out we'd be in great shape.hahahahaha!!
doctroprint
KUDOS to you.. very witty.
K. MARX
@ Major_Skidmark
Alot of people in the environmental community now support Nuclear power because it is much safer than it was in the 70's. There are other forms of energy as well, solar, wind, etc...It isn't people on the left that want the U.S. stuck on foreign oil or oil period.
Navy(Retired) Oathkeeper
Yea, that wind would work good here in Florida when we have Hurricanes. We will at least have power as our homes get blown away. The solar wouldn't work to well then though, it would be to cloudy.
d
K Marx.........the problem is that our own Gov't already interferes with connecting everything up. This is the VERY REASON why the Texas millionaire gave UP the wind farm idea. You are blind to the mere facts.
K. MARX
And....that's why you are going the way of the dinosaurs. In places like Kansas, where there is alot of wind, there are areas with alot of wind generators that produce electricity, and then, jeepers, the energy is sent over these things called cables to where it can be used, just like a traditional power plant. what a novel idea. people even sell the energy, just like a power plant.
Solar works when the sky is overcast.
Delores CH WV
THEY ARE SPENDING ALL THEIR MONEY ON FUN, FUN, FUN.......AND TAKING OVER BUSINESSES......THEY HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO RUN A BUSINESS........THEY TAKE THEIR OIL AND BUY FRIENDS ...BECAUSE THEY WANT MISSLES AND THE BIG, BIG BOMBS......THESE ARE NOT CHEAP!!!!!!
THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW COMMUNISM AND MARXISM DOESN'T WORK.............LOOK WHAT CUBA IS GOING TO DO????
Jeff-In-SC
Because the northeast United States, including New York City, didn't have a huge blackout in 2003, effecting 45 million people.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_Blackout_of_2003
robby22
I doubt the elite of these backwards countries have blackouts , thats just for the
slaves of the state or general public in other words.
perry
Perhaps if we built some nuclear power plants like we need to do we won't have that problem
Ken in Atlanta
Pretty soon Venezuela will be like California.
Mad Tx
This is what obama,pelosi,reed and all the liberals want for our country,but American people don't want or beleive in all the climate change BS.
spinfree
Gee Hugo, you might try capitalism. You communist freak.
therepublicrevealed
They will not have to worry any more. Not once Obama signs the treaty that will give all the third world nations your lamps, air conditioners, cars and color T.V's.
http://www.therepublicrevealed.com/forums/index.php?topic=337.0
FreedomCat
Just what I was thinking. Not only does he want to pay for slackers here in the US but in third world countries too. The beast is among us.
d
I agree