About this Event
It tells the story of Venezuela’s collapse through the life of Carlos Mora, an entrepreneur whose thriving business was destroyed by the state.
After Venezuela’s socialist dictator Hugo Chávez imposed price controls, nationalized industries, and silenced the media, Carlos fought back in a remarkable way: by helping dissident judges, journalists, and others targeted by the regime escape across the border. Carlos’ resistance came at a terrible cost. He was captured, imprisoned, and tortured.
Meanwhile, the country suffered the worst peacetime collapse in modern world history. Once among Latin America’s wealthiest democracies, Venezuela suffered starvation, rampant blackouts, political repression, state-sponsored M**der, and the exodus of 8 million people, or about a quarter of the population.
Democratic Socialists of America-aligned candidates are surging in popularity in the U.S., though most voters have little firsthand experience with the policies they advocate. This film tells the story of how socialism can transform a prosperous democracy into a humanitarian catastrophe—and serves as a warning about how quickly freedom and prosperity can be lost.
Panel Featuring:
- Jim Epstein, Director of Escaping Venezuela, Reason
- Germania Rodriguez Poleo, Narrator of Escaping Venezuela
Agenda:
- 6:00pm Doors open
- 6:30pm Screening begins followed by panel discussion
Watch the trailer here:
Event venue & nearby stays
IFC Center, 323 6th Avenue, New York, United States