Venezuela Gov't Takes Control Of Ports

President Hugo Chavez Seen As Limiting Power Of Regional Leaders

(AP)  Venezuela's federal government seized seaports and airstrips in at least four states on Saturday, a move critics say is meant to limit the powers of mayors and governors opposed to President Hugo Chavez.

The takeover, ordered by Venezuela's socialist president last weekend and approved by lawmakers, aims to bring the country's major transportation hubs under federal control this year.

Military troops were dispatched to ports in the three Venezuelan states governed by Chavez opponents: Zulia, Carabobo and Nueva Esparta. Chavez said the takeover of air and sea ports in the state of Anzoategui, which is governed by a Chavez ally, was also under way.

The socialist leader said his government will formulate a "strategic investment plan" to modernize the ports and to guarantee the jobs of thousands of workers in the facilities.

Chavez has defended the move as a national security issue, but critics say they target facilities previously controlled by state authorities opposed to the president.

Chavez last week warned that any governors who challenged the takeover could end up in prison.

"They're not using reason, they're using force," Chavez opponent Eliseo Fermin, head of Zulia state's legislative council, said Saturday.

The measure also prohibits states and municipalities from collecting tariffs or tolls at transportation hubs or on highways, cutting off a key source of funding for local projects that could otherwise compete with federal handouts, Caracas-based economist Abelardo Daza said.

The order, along with a prosecutor's request Thursday that opposition leader Manuel Rosales be arrested on corruption charges, sparked protests in Venezuela's second-biggest city.

Rosales, who lost to Chavez in Venezuela's 2006 presidential election, is now mayor of that city, Maracaibo. He denies the charges and has not been arrested.

Also Saturday, Chavez said falling oil prices are forcing Venezuela to boost sales taxes and nearly triple domestic debt sales to make up for an expected 6.7 percent decrease in public income this year.

Venezuela's leader said he will ask lawmakers to increase sales taxes to 12 percent from 9 percent. The government's revised 2009 budget anticipates crude prices of $40 a barrel, not the $60-a-barrel forecast by lawmakers last year, Chavez said in a televised speech.

Venezuela will also sell an additional 22 billion bolivars ($10.2 billion) in local-currency bonds to raise cash this year, he said.

[factsearcher]

Germans voted Hitler into power and the Venezuelan's voted Chavez into power. They both got what they deserved. Hopefully Venezuela won't be totally destroyed like Germany but it is headed that direction.
Posted by rbburnerjr at 5:32 PM : Mar 22, 2009
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Yes, and Americans voted Bush/Cheney into power (twice!) and look at the enormous problems we have now.
Posted by gce651
________________________________________________

Your statements only proof the human error factor and how many elections-even when they seem to be clean-are as corrupted as governments in the past. That hasnt changed.
Many post the ideology- it's their problem, not ours. WRONG!
Venezuela's dirty money has supported the guerrillas and the different socialist governements now being "elected" in South America. Cangrene- it starts on your toes but it spreads all over.

[apprxam]

All that energy wasted on trying to overthrow Chavez by the Cheney administration because of Venezuela's economic change to the left, but nothing was done to make sure the American economy was sustainable is truly strange. American point,am Pat Robertson has yet to aim the "holy bullet" of assassination toward anyone on "Wall Fleece" and their immediate threat to the security of the American people tells me that imperialism is more important than a fair and healthy capitalistic policy at home.

[gce651]

Capitalism must be and always be subornate to the sovereignty of government.
Capitalism in the end will have its interests in profits cross the path of the general welfare of a sovereign people.
When that happens, capitalism must yield to government.
I praise President Hugo Chavez for this 'populist move.
Let Wall Street Republicans cry like the babies and find another country like the U.K. to go loot.
The poor of Venezuela are very happy with their President.'
Posted by whitemale08 at 3:53 PM : Mar 22, 2009
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I agree. He was elected in fair, internationally observed elections and has consistently won in landslides. His people generally like him as a change from the heavily concentrated business interests that ruled Venezuelan politics for decades.

[gce651]

Germans voted Hitler into power and the Venezuelan's voted Chavez into power. They both got what they deserved. Hopefully Venezuela won't be totally destroyed like Germany but it is headed that direction.
Posted by rbburnerjr at 5:32 PM : Mar 22, 2009
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Yes, and Americans voted Bush/Cheney into power (twice!) and look at the enormous problems we have now.

[timothyww]

All of human history is the story of the battle between rich and poor. The rich created "Capitalism" and co-branded it "Democracy". With the use of slaves and stolen land these "Capitalists" have created a top-heavy Empire in which the top 2% own 99% of all wealth. They maintain control of the idiot population with patriotic songs, pledges, and pieces of colored cloth attached to sticks.
On the other hand, the poor created "Socialism". Socialism is an attempt to stop the "Capitalist" rich from further enslaving people and the continuing theft of property, land, and labor. The Capitalists who control the United States and it's media work endlessly to demonize those who oppose their corrupt Capitalist system. If Socialism were to catch on and overtake the Capitalist system the rich would lose much of their wealth, their children, like GWB, would be forced to compete fairly for admission to Harvard, and they would have to fight and die in our wars, while the poor would become less poor and better educated. The future of a "Socialist" America would be one that had a much higher standard of living for the average person with a better education system. The number of irresponsible rich would diminish, along with the number of those who drive Hummers and throw million dollar high school graduation parties for their children. Fewer Americans would live in $10 million homes, and fewer would live in housing projects or on the streets. "Capitalism" is greed and insanity institutionalized. "Socialism". is an economic system based on caring and equality that can provide long-term world peace and stability while cutting waste.
"Socialism" has failed in the former Soviet Union and other places because it has been forced to compete against the hotter burning "Capitalist" system. Capitalism has been very attractive to the worlds ambitious and greedy, causing many to turn away from Socialism. Only those who see that Capitalism is doomed to destroy itself with the very greed that drives it, as we are now witnessing, have aligned themselves with the Socialists.
Chavez is simply trying to fight back the influence of the Capitalists who will destroy his dreams for a functional Socialist system. The Capitalists will go to any extreme to stop him from succeeding because once the world sees an attractive, working Socialistic (humanistic) alternative to Capitalism's greed the Capitalists will begin to lose the battle for hearts and minds, and soon face revolution. The Capitalists truly do fear the kind of "Domino effect" they once used to justify the war in Viet Nam. They have plenty of reason to fear that the world will come to it's senses and start working together for the benefit of all, rather than the few.
Posted by timothyww at 10:37 AM : Mar 22, 2009

SOME responders disagreed with this assessment by pointing out that Socialism has never worked, and that it has been the source of much suffering ect... I mentioned those facts myself within the statement, and explained that Socialism won't work as long as it has to compete with Capitalism. Capitalism is similar to the Republican party in that the Capitalists won't merely work within their own system leaving the Socialists of the world to their own problems. Capitalism is the "dirty-tricks" system that works against Socialism wherever it exists in order to prevent it from ever being able to work. If there had been no America threatening to invade and nuclear bomb Russia it would have had no need to spend Trillions of dollars and so many man hours fighting the "cold war". Reagan would have been proud to explain how our military "investments" caused the fall of the U.S.S.R.. Competing in the cold war arms race brought their Socialist system down financially. America gave the Soviets the choice of either eating or defending themselves from the Capitalists and their ever growing military. Capitalism has been Socialism's biggest problem, and the main reason for it's failure. Capitalists see Socialism and all other non-Capitalist systems of government as a fire they must stop from spreading. Even the American Quakers have had to fight back the attacks of the Capitalist American government.

[rbburnerjr]

Germans voted Hitler into power and the Venezuelan's voted Chavez into power. They both got what they deserved. Hopefully Venezuela won't be totally destroyed like Germany but it is headed that direction.

[ioweign]

You are the Conman stevador39 - The deal went away because of security concerns and the deal was not a sale of the ports but the operations control of the ports. Close but no cigar bud. The deal was not proposed by the Bush administration but by the owners of the port facilities.
Posted by Scooter68 at 4:30 PM : Mar 22, 2009




stevador39 - Now what ever gave you the idea that the Bush Administration was ever concerned with the security of our ports - whatever were you thinking.......

[whitemale08]

Capitalism must be and always be subornate to the sovereignty of government.

Capitalism in the end will have its interests in profits cross the path of the general welfare of a sovereign people.

When that happens, capitalism must yield to government.

I praise President Hugo Chavez for this 'populist move.
Let Wall Street Republicans cry like the babies and find another country like the U.K. to go loot.

The poor of Venezuela are very happy with their President.'

[ceb969]

It is simple he is a DICTATOR there is no socialism going on here it is flat out Chavez, Chavez, Chavez give me the money I want full control. Read only the book I say to read you can only buy thing I will let you buy and just give me the money.

timothyww
Socialism works alright as long as you have Capitalists backing. In every country that had Socialism working the black market works better. The black market is were people went to get things they need to on and could not get through the Socialists government.
If it was not for Capitalism the world would not go around.

[stevador39]

George W. Bush the neo-con president, wanted to sell the ports of the U.S. to China and Dubai. So that's the capitalist's way. Don't be neo-conned.