In 1970, U.S. President Richard Nixon ordered the CIA to make the “Chilean economy scream,” a conspiracy to overthrow the first democratically elected socialist government of Latin America that was accompanied by disappearing basic products from the shelves of stores across the country.
The same plan was implemented against Venezuela. And the fact that after the Dec. 6 victory of the right-wing opposition, according to many social media users in Venezuela, basic products are beginning to appear in stores throughout the South American nation, suggests that the right-wing opposition, backed by the U.S., implemented the same plan.
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And as it happened in Chile after the CIA-backed coup and murder of socialist President Salvador Allende Sep. 11, 1973, basic products have begun to appear on the shelves of stores in Venezuela.
Through social media, people in Venezuela have begun to denounce the suspicious reappearance of some staple goods in some markets following the Dec. 6 elections.
La esposa de John Kerry, Teresa Heinz Kerry, es accionista de Heinz, la misma empresa que paró su producción en Venezuela. Que casualidad!
— Patrika (@noerestusinoyo) December 12, 2015
“John Kerry’s wife, Teresa Heinz, is a Heinz shareholder, the same company that stopped producing goods in Venezuela. What a coincidence!”
@nacholacriatura esto que te lleva? Sacan Harina de hace 5 meses y mayonesa vencida. Hay o no guerra económica?. pic.twitter.com/l1YL1yq7Ru
— Alberto Torres (@FullRevolution4) December 11, 2015
“What does this mean? Flour and mayonnaise expired five months ago. Is there or not an economic war?”
@Pr1meroJusticia @nacholacriatura ganaron una elección por la guerra económica siempre es tubieron haciendo daño al pueblo con golpes paros
— antonio tovar (@tovar365954) December 14, 2015
“They won an election through an economic war. They were constantly causing harm to the people through scarcity.”
@nacholacriatura La situación crítica que hoy vivimos es producto de esta maldita GUERRA ECONÓMICA q TÚ apoyas. Ganó La GUERRA ECONÓMICA.
— FRENTE HUGO CHAVEZ (@FrentHugoChavez) December 11, 2015
“The critical situation we are living today is product of the damn economic war that you support. The economic war won.”
Empleados de Kraf- Heinz denuncian al dueño empresa por participar en la guerra económica contra pueblo #Venezuela pic.twitter.com/gfuPnmsugC
— Miozotis F. Pinares (@MioPinares) December 13, 2015
“Kraft-Heinz workers denounce the owner of participating in the economic war against the people of Venezuela.”
Heinz Venezuela más de 1 año paralizada por "falta de materias primas" y tras elecciones, MILAGRO, retoma producción pic.twitter.com/yTvVyxzLqi
— itobé (@itobesur) December 11, 2015
“Heinz in Venezuela paralyzed over a year due to the lack of raw materials and after the elections, MIRACLE, y begins producing again.”
The social media users have indicated that the sudden reappearance of these goods and the fact that they have expired dates on them expose that there have been no issues with production, but rather with distribution, which many right-wing business people control.
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They also said the reappearance of certain products is evidence of the economic war the U.S. and the political opposition in Venezuela launched to destabilize the country and which was denounced on many occasions by the socialist government of President Nicolas Maduro.
The reactions on social media have included photos of the reappearance of previously “missing” products and demands to the government asking them to take the necessary legal measures against those responsible for hoarding and the economic war.
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In some tweets, social media users note the link between food company Heinz and the economic war, as the U.S. food processing firm announced it would begin production again after months of inactivity.
Recently, Maduro ordered an investigation into Heinz after workers at the company's plant in the central state of Carabobo reported that although the food processor was fully operational, the owners were refusing to produce certain goods.
On Saturday, the leader of the Heinz workers' union, Hernan Garcia, said that after various months of failed attempts to sign a collective contract with the company on Dec. 9 they finally achieved their objectives and that they would begin working again.
This fact has been considered by many Venezuelans as evidence that Heinz participated in the economic war.
Adriana Marcely Pedroso, spokesperson for Heinz in Latin America, said the company would not comment on the matter, saying, “Heinz will not take a position about this subject.”
Street vendor Rene Holanda commented on teleSUR that the opposition has always resorted to “punishing the stomach of the people to blame the government for shortages. But also the gringos (U.S. government) have blocked the commercialization of raw materials and products.”
Most comments regarding the reappearance of basic foods blame the United States for interfering in Venezuela and depriving the people of basic foods in order to push forward its political agenda, which is likely linked to the country's resources, such as oil.
“I don't believe the industrialists conspired alone against the Venezuelan people ... that help was more than likely from the United States,” said Silbano Pita.
WATCH: Venezuelan businessmen act as agents of the economic war
