Communist propaganda worldwide claims that the Venezuelan crisis is not true since there are spaces in which you can find goods and services that "supposedly" are scarce and difficult to find. Well, if you examine the history of communist countries, however, you may find that you may be able to find almost anything in the black market and, of course, certain spaces that may be deemed as "oasis" of "safe heaven" amid the communist crisis. At least in Caracas, I have been able to witness some places that are not compatible with the communist script.

But does that mean that there is no communism at all? I don't think so. Because if you check the facts central planning remains as the cornerstone of the system and the proposition of human behavior being controlled by the state in almost any aspect has not disappeared.

Today I went with my Lebanese girlfriend to Eat Arab Food at "El Arabito", one of the best places to eat Arab food in Caracas. Many things may cross your mind and you may criticize me because of that "How dare you to eat in a restaurant during the Venezuelan crisis!", "Things are not that in Venezuela since you are able to eat that kind of food in Venezuela", "You are not poor as many Venezuelans claim", and a large set of arguments that I've heard over the time.

I you compare my net income with the average Venezuelan, I am at a superior stage. But if you compare may net income with the average income of any Latin-american professional attorney working in a top 5 law firm of his respective country, believe me, I will be very poor. Because of the Venezuelan situation we are less productive, and the distortion in relative prices pursuant price controls has puzzled things.

In any case, I was able to eat lunch at El Arabito. 

Many thoughts crossed my mind. This place does not seem to be facing the struggles of communism. I have different hypothesis on the matter. First, El Arabito is a place frequently visited by the Arab community residing in Venezuela. Believe it or not, the Venezuelan government has promoted good ties with this community (despite its complexity and diversity, Venezuelan government see Arabs as an homogeneous group), so by affecting El Arabito by any measure will imply and unnecessary conflict with Arabs. Second, the placed is located in the Municipality of Libertador, beyond the opposition ghetto of Chacao (most conflicts during these days are held in the Municipalities of Chacao and Baruta in Caracas, since repression does not allow to enter the Municipality of Libertador). Third, the shop is targeted for a market with a sort of inelastic demand. No matter what, these guys will have loyal clients, just as smokers chase cigarettes even in the hardest times.  

However, my presumptions were not that accurate. As I realized later, El Arabito was facing shortage of flour, so I was not able to buy the delicious Arab bread that I like so much and I wanted to bring back home. In other times, I could do that without problems, and not facing food rationing.

Knefe with cheese

Whenever possible, I will continue going to El Arabito. It is my goal to promote policies and ideas that may help my fellow Venezuelans to get out of poverty and choose the food that they want to eat, and not precisely from garbage. The more things get worst in the country, the more middle and upper class that remains living in Venezuela must not feel ashamed of their circumstances, with a kind of moral guilty complex for what thery are. On the contrary, we must be committed to promote another political and economic model but not hiding who we are and where we come from.

Some pictures of El Arabito's facilities.