As we investigate the possibilities of presidential vacancy and the name capable of sparing Lebanon from this option starting next fall, alongside the search for opportunities to form a new government, we inquire about the new form of deterioration that is gradually emerging, prepared for the many needs of the cold season, amid unstable prices of the black market dollar, which are heading for further increases. It is not new to say that the announcement of a black market dollar valued at 34,000 LBP, for example, results in goods in the markets being priced at an exchange rate of 36,000 or 37,000 LBP, maybe even more. But what is the new shape of the new deterioration in a country where there is no judicial, popular, or political deterrent?
A source knowledgeable in Lebanese affairs confirmed that "the currency will be a reason for further collapse in the upcoming phase." He warned in an interview with "Akhbar Al-Yawm" agency about "the corruption of traders who manipulate, cheat, and engage in fraud for personal benefit, as well as to finance the political groups they belong to. For example, the price of a gas cylinder should be between 10 and 12 dollars at most, or about 408,000 LBP, assuming the black market dollar is at 34,000 LBP. But look at the gasoline prices, which have exceeded that amount for a long time."
The source emphasized that "the primary collapse relies on one indicator: the rise of the black market dollar, which signifies a trend towards more and more deterioration, moving away from the point of crashing into the wall that could allow for regrouping and repairing the situation. Instead, it reflects a continuous descent, to the point of having to carry Lebanese pounds 'in bags' to buy a small piece, perhaps."
He added: "This is the real devastation, amid the accumulation of wealth by traders, fully protected by politicians, alongside a popular dependency on parties and political movements. Partisan supporters benefit and receive funding from the stolen cheese that is called Lebanon, moving away from the old norms of party work in the country, which used to be based on the premise that if the leader ate and drank, it meant all his followers benefited, even if they received nothing."
The source was not surprised by the inability of the Lebanese people to make any breakthrough in the tired general scene, noting that "if we look at the non-partisan and politically unaffiliated Lebanese groups, we find they will be ineffective or will be subjected to repression and abuse if they take to the streets to demand change. Thus, this group remains inactive."
He concluded: "The revolution of October 17, 2019, at its core and in its first moment, began as a 'Shiite' movement demanding the downfall of Prime Minister Saad Hariri's government. On the second and third day, the scene changed and everyone took to the streets, which led the Shiite faction to cling to Hariri's government in the face of the overwhelming genuine popular demand for radical change in Lebanon. However, the prolonged duration of the movement, without any change, enabled all parties to seize the scene in the street, and matters slipped from everyone’s hands, diminishing the value of the demand for change to the point of beating people and forcing them to leave the streets."
