For socialists, socialism isn't about equality.  It's about getting rich.

As Venezuelans grow hungry from the economic mismanagement of socialist policies, whether through the devaluation of their currency or the price and currency controls that have triggered shortages, losing an average of 19 pounds in the ordeal, sure enough, Venezuela's socialists have found a new way to get rich.  According to the BBC:

The US has accused Venezuela's government of stealing from a state-run food programme while its own people go hungry.

Marshall Billingslea, a US treasury official, said Venezuelan government officials were over-charging for food.

He said corruption by President Nicolás Maduro and his inner circle had "impoverished millions" of Venezuelans.

The Venezuelan government blames US sanctions for the food shortages the country is experiencing.

Mr Billingslea, who is the Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing at the US treasury department, accused President Maduro of "rapacious corruption" and of operating "a kleptocracy".

Gad.  Stealing from the starving.  Always gotta get some, is that it?  Funny how socialism always seems to lead to stealing, while all the while, its proponents, such as Bernie Sanders, call it "sharing."

I have not found any information about this so-called state food program, but there were some when I visited Venezuela in late 2005.  One was called Mercal, which was put in place to provide discount foods to the poor because the small local groceries were supposedly charging too much.  The 25% to 50% state store discount put those mom-and-pops out of business, leaving just the government food programs, run by Venezuela's military.  With their monopoly established, the stealing opportunity was there, given that there would be no need to satisfy customers, either through price or availability of goods.

This would match the U.S. official's description of Chavista socialist elites overcharging for food while the country starves.

Chavista socialist elites have always been famous for their stealing.  The U.S. is currently investigating massive amounts of thievery around Miami from Venezuela's state oil company, according to many reports.  Like any bank-robbers, the greediest ones go where the money is.  But downwind, the Chavista elites steal, too, because socialism is essentially about thievery – I mean "redistribution."  They do it with votes, too.

What we see here is a particularly horrific example of the rapacious nature of socialism.  They steal even the food from the starving people.  As President Trump said at the United Nations recently, Venezuela's socialism has failed not because it wasn't properly implemented.  It failed because it was faithfully implemented.

Obviously, stealing does that.  Are you listening, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez?