The Venezuelan Disaster: Are We Next?

I know most of our readers keep up with current events and likely know what is happening in Venezuela.  My father was actually born in Venezuela, and for most of his life it was the most stable country in South America.  

Recently the economy has collapsed to the point that the streets are littered with cash.  It no longer has any value for their citizens.  About 10,000 people a day are forced to cross into neighboring countries to purchase basic necessities such as food, water, and medicine.  These simple supplies are no longer available in Venezuela, as the stores have all been picked clean.  These residents must wait in line for hours, and often find that even stores in neighboring countries have run out of the items they need.  The only response that the people of Venezuela have is anger and desperation.  They have been rioting consistently for years at this point.

It may seem that the problems of Venezuela are thousands of miles away.  However, prior to the economic fall there were many similarities between the US and Venezuela.  There was no single catastrophe that caused these issues. There was no hurricane like the ones that destroyed Puerto Rico, and there was no earthquake like the one that destroyed Haiti.  The issues that ruined Venezuela are much like the ones we face in the US: inflation, government control, and debt.  It is vital that we consider the fact that this situation could be closer than we think.  When it comes to survival, we should learn from this situation instead of just hoping that it never happens here.  In this article, we will consider some of the realities we would face in an economic collapse.

Collapse Happens Quickly

The economic and governmental issues that caused the collapse in Venezuela grew over time.  However, the negative effects hitting the everyday citizen came about very quickly.  Once the economy tanked, the results were felt within days.  Stores started immediately running out of supplies as the population panicked and started to buy out the inventory.  Within a short time, restocking trucks stopped arriving.  Some suppliers tried to push on, but often riots and looters made it unsafe to continue.  At this point, 85% of the basics a person needs to survive are completely unavailable inside Venezuela.

The scary truth of this situation is that those surviving today are doing so with what is left from before the collapse.  There are a small percentage of citizens that have prepared as I suggest you do.  These individuals had no driving need to loot stores or cross into other countries because they had food, water, and medicine stocked up in advance.  Those in rural areas have often relied upon hunting, fishing, trapping, foraging, and gardening for food.  They often do what they can to purify outside water sources.  They have practiced in home medicine as best they can.  It is vital that you look at your supplies and your skills.  If our economy collapsed, could you survive for several years as the citizens of Venezuela have done?

Medicine Is Non-Existent

You are probably used to regular check-ups with your doctor.  If you get sick, you either set an appointment with your primary care physician or visit an urgent care location.  They call in a prescription, and you run to your local pharmacy to pick it up 20 minutes later.  If things get really bad, you visit the emergency room.  They either treat you and release you, or they admit you to the hospital for further care.  There they can monitor your health and even perform surgery if needed.  If you cannot make it to the emergency room, there are paramedics that can take you there.  All of these scenarios have happened several times within my family over the last few years.  Now just think if all of this treatment and care was gone overnight.  This would be your new reality.

Calling for an ambulance is no longer an option because ambulances have no fuel and paramedics are home with their families.  Hospitals have no electricity and the few doctors that stay are forced to improvise medicine like they are in the dark ages.  The hallways are full of dead bodies with no way to dispose of them.  This just leads to more illness for those that are alive.  If you do risk going to the hospital, you will likely wait days before you are even diagnosed.  The cafeterias have been looted, and drinking water is gone.

Your best option to survive in this new situation is to be ready in advance.  You will want some basic medical knowledge and training.  You may want to take courses to get certified in first aid and CPR.  Having first aid guides or medical books is a good idea for future reference.  In addition, you will need supplies such as bandages, medication, surgical supplies, and disinfectant.  Those that have these supplies will always be at risk of having them taken by force.  You will need to be prepared to hide or defend your supplies.

Starving People Are Dangerous People

What you should realize about food is that starving is different in an economic collapse.  When we think of feeding the hungry, we think of giving food to people that live on the street.  They often rely on discarded scraps to survive, but they get by.  However, there are no discarded scraps in Venezuela.  Even the most prepared families are not wasting or donating anything.  There are no open restaurants for the hungry to dive through dumpsters.  Even those that have money cannot buy food because the cash is worthless, and the grocery stores are empty.

You would see that hungry people will find a way to eat and survive.  In this situation, people often take food by force.  Those that have food, must hide it or defend it with their lives.  Many people kill stray animals and rats in the gutter for the meat they need.  This is often their only consistent source of protein.  In rural areas people rely on the wilderness, and they have gone back to the old methods of hunting, fishing, foraging, trapping, and gardening to get the food they need.

Those that find food are always forced to adapt their diets.  Even when heading to another country to grocery shop, you will be limited in your options.  Most people that were used to a protein and produce heavy diet prior to the collapse are now relying upon grains and beans to get the calories they need.  There are families in Venezuela that have gotten no protein from meat in almost two years.  The exceptions are people who have gone back to older methods of harvesting meat.  Food preservation has also become very important.  In addition to stocking up on food, make sure that the majority is preserved.  

Do Not Plan on People Being Civil

In any economic collapse, there is no law and order.  The police and military will often go home to take care of their families, and everybody has a lack of civil behavior.  When the collapse happens, people will panic.  Panic and fear lead to anger and confusion.  There are riots, protests, fires, looting, and general chaos.  Everybody has a single purpose… to take care of themselves and their families.  At first it will be bad, but as it starts to become apparent that things will not change the social structure will get even worse. Looting does not just affect stores.  Often groups of armed thugs will go from house to house taking anything of value they can find.  People on the streets get mugged for anything in their pockets.  Sometimes clothes are taken right off oftheir backs.  

Organized crime becomes another primary concern in this scenario.  Criminals will take what they want from innocent people and then sell it for a huge markup.  They are not scared of extreme violence to get their wares.  Prostitution and drugs are another way they make money.  When people become desperate, often they will look to a quick fix to feel better and forget about their troubles.  Some people even commit rape and murder just for the fun of it. With no police to stop them, criminals do whatever they want.  Your best methods of preparation for this lack of civility are weapons and weapons training.  Homes must be secured, and anything of value must be hidden.  Early warning systems need to be in place to alert against intruders.  If you must leave the security of your home, do so in armed groups.  Be very careful about who you trust.

Hygiene will not Happen

When you cannot find toilet paper, toothpaste, or soap at the store, things get pretty rough.  In addition, running water is almost nonexistent.  Showers and baths may only happen every few weeks.  Some people have resorted to bathing in rivers, streams, lakes, and even drainage ditches.  The Venezuelan government actually considered swapping oil for basic toiletries.  Your best option is to stockpile toiletries along with your other supplies.  Again, you will end up having to hide or defend these supplies.  

You can also make homemade soap, shampoo, and toothpaste.  I have made them all before, and they all work just fine.  However, you have to know the recipe so you might want to practice in advance.  You can also use smoke baths to kill bacteria and cover up the stink.  When it comes to brushing your teeth, you may use charcoal instead of toothpaste. You can reuse a single rag for toilet paper or find some soft plants.  These are not the most desirable options, but it is a desperate situation.

Cash is no longer King

As I mentioned above, I have seen pictures of the streets lined with piles of cash.  It is completely useless.  Even if you were able to get to the ATM before they shut down, stores immediately stopped accepting cash.  Some are still using precious metals as money.  No matter how bad the economy is, these metals will always have value.  Even the government has run down their gold reserves.  They have had to transport huge amount of gold to Switzerland to reduce their debt.  

Bartering for supplies has become king.  People are also bartering with trained individuals for mechanical help, transport, security, and first aid. It is a good idea to have specific items stored for bartering.  The best options are items that are not needed for survival such as alcohol, chocolate, and cigarettes.  They will disappear from stores as looters grab them first, and people will still see value even if they are worthless for survival.

Yes, this scenario is not currently playing out here.  That being said, the signs are there.  It might only take a few more wrong moves for our economy to collapse as well.  Improper spending, dirty politicians, national debt, and inflation are all out of control.  The effects of these governmental missteps are extreme.  Venezuela is actually at the point of forcing lawful resident into labor camps.  Masked with the claim of restoring order, the government forces these poor souls to work endless hours just to get their basic needs met.  There has been no official count as to the number of people that have died due to the collapse.  However, you can take action.  You can prepare for this potential scenario just like you might prepare for a hurricane or an earthquake.  Gather your supplies, hone your skills, and be ready when the time comes.