Could there be a better indictment of socialism than this story of Venezuela today.

In The Great Blackout, Caracas Steakhouses Are Busier Than Ever Andrew Rosati March 13 2019, 3:00 AM March 13 2019, 7:20 AM (Bloomberg) -- 



The staff at Maute Grill never stopped uncorking the bottles of fine Chilean reds. The place was packed at night, and the lights were on, while every inch of Caracas without a generator was in the dark. 

The famed steakhouse has one, of course. “We’re attending to a specific kind of clientele,” said Ramon Villarreal, a waiter serving up sirloin steak and pork tenderloin to the lunch crowd Tuesday. “But there has been a flood of people.” 

The great blackout -- in its fifth day in some parts of Venezuela -- derailed water service, stalled refineries, knocked the Caracas subway out of commission and carved another dividing line between rich and in a devastated economy. Those who can afford it have passed the time in power-flush restaurants and bars or booked rooms in self-sufficient hotels. Many of the rest are still putting their kids to bed by candlelight.

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