Accusing electronics retailers of 1,200 percent price mark ups that amount to “usury”, Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro ordered troops to occupy stores and order them to sell goods at prices as much as 75 percent lower than advertised just a couple of weeks ago.  He’s asking lawmakers for emergency powers to enact sweeping price controls.

Soldiers took their posts at the Daka chain, the Venezuelan version of Dick Smith or The Good Guys or similar store, as thousands lined up outside hoping to buy cut-price plasma televisions or appliances such as fridges, washing machines and sewing machines.  Another chain called JVG was also targeted.

“This is for the good of the nation,” Maduro said on state television.  “Leave nothing on the shelves, nothing in the warehouses.. Let nothing remain in stock!”

A Twitter user posted photos that suggest at least one store appears to have been looted, but Maduro says that’s exaggerated by factions of the media he accused of “complicity with the bourgeois parasites.”

Government ministers countered with tweets showing near overnight price hikes they say is gouging Venezuelan consumers.  One TV, he showed the store’s own paperwork showing the price of a washer/dryer combo which increased in prince as it just sat there on the sales floor.

“We've been waiting for this for a long time,” said Sixto Mesa, a supporter of the Chavismo government.

But critics say that Maduro is trying to regain the popularity he has lost since taking over for long time leader Hugo Chavez in April.  The next elections are in a month, but the economy is in serious trouble.  Inflation is worse than 54 percent, and a dollar shortage has created an active black market.  Taking over the stores, they say, will merely frighten off the investment Venezuela needs to solve the crisis.

Venezuela’s National Assembly this week is expected to vote on giving President Maduro special powers to fight corruption and what he calls “economic sabotage”.