In 2007, Venezuelan ruler Hugo Chávez nationalized all major electricity companies. State ownership plays a key roll in his socialist effort to end capitalism. This has resulted in constant power failures. Now it seems the breakdown of Venezuela’s electricity services might cost the Chávez regime support in the upcoming local elections.

Once again, socialist ideology has proven a failure when implemented. Socialism simply cannot deliver—which has been the case so often the statement should be considered an empirically verified fact. Of course, hardcore Marxists will keep dreaming about their utopian society. Reality plays no role in their minds; it is all about ideology for the sake of ideology. But I think ordinary Venezuelans are beginning to lose faith in socialism when everyday things like shopping for food becomes a struggle:

“Our refrigerators have burned out so we can’t shop for the week, we can only shop for one day at a time,” said Nestor Pacheco, 39. “The situation is serious.”

(Seen in picture is one of the many murals the Chávez regime has ordered. The Venezuelan ministry of culture spends millions on wall paintings of Hugo Chávez with socialist heroes from the past.)