Franklin Camargo, a contributor at Pragel who experienced the harsh realities of Venezuela under socialism, discussed his insights during an appearance on Breitbart News Daily as U.S. Democrats explore socialist candidates like Zoran Mamdani in New York City.
“In Venezuela, we thought we needed to know,” host Mike Slater prompted.
Calmly, Camargo, who emigrated during President Trump’s first term, noted that the policies he witnessed in Venezuela bear a “very similar” resemblance to proposals from some U.S. politicians, including Mamdani.
“I saw the government building public housing, nationalizing means of production, and managing grocery stores—everything from prices to the wealthy.”
“There was gun control as well. Weapons were banned, and criticism of the government often led to severe punishments. That’s why I was labeled a terrorist,” he shared. Now, however, he feels it’s his duty to speak out in America to prevent others from facing a similar fate.
“I’m speaking up so that America doesn’t have to go through that,” he emphasized. “This is the greatest country on Earth, founded on incredible ideals, and those who immigrate here tend to embrace those values.”
“But we don’t see enough of that appreciation anymore, and it’s disheartening,” he added.
Slater prompted Camargo to delve deeper into his experiences with government-run grocery stores, linking it to Democrats like Mamdani and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) who are advocating such measures.
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“Growing up in Venezuela was nostalgic, even for someone my age. I remember going to the grocery store with my mother, often unable to find basic items like milk or eggs, and sometimes waiting four or five hours just for bread,” he recounted. But his mother insisted it wasn’t always like that.
He reflected on one of the most striking differences since arriving in the U.S.—the abundance of food available in grocery stores.
“The idea that the government should run grocery stores is alarmingly popular in certain areas, especially among younger people,” he said. “But government should not control our grocery stores.”
He warned that such thinking aims to undermine private business. “Do you really want politicians making decisions about your food? I don’t think anyone wants that. If they control what you eat, they’ll only provide for those who support them, which is incredibly dangerous,” he stressed.
Watch – Watch: Discontent grows amid Venezuela’s election protests.
“You don’t want the government in charge of food. You’ll end up hungry, and they’ll use it as leverage in politics,” Camargo cautioned.
When he first arrived in the U.S., he never imagined the nation could drift toward socialism.
“I still hope that most Americans cherish liberty and fight for freedom, yet here we are discussing the leading candidates in some of the country’s largest Democratic strongholds.”
“It’s not just about halting illegal immigration; we also need to be cautious of legal immigration from those who don’t embrace American values,” Camargo concluded.
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