Venezuela may ask U.S. envoy to leave

[D-gin]

By CHRISTOPHER TOOTHAKER, Associated Press Writer

CARACAS, Venezuela

President Hugo Chavez warned Thursday that the U.S. ambassador could be asked to leave the country if he continues "meddling in Venezuela's affairs."



The outspoken Venezuelan leader lashed out after William Brownfield said U.S. companies and investors must receive a fair price for their shares of Venezuela's largest telephone company when Chavez's government nationalizes it.

"If you continue meddling in Venezuela's affairs, first of all, you are violating the Geneva agreements and getting yourself involved in a serious violation and could ... be declared a persona non grata and would have to leave the country," Chavez.

The top American envoy to Venezuela told Caracas' Union Radio the planned takeover of CA Nacional de Telefonos, or CANTV, should proceed
"in a transparent, legal manner" and that Venezuela's government must offer "fair and quick compensation to the people who are affected or the owners."

"These are the only obligations that a government has when it decides to nationalize an industry," Brownfield added.

Thursday's exchange is the latest demonstration of tensions between Caracas and Washington.

U.S. officials have accused Chavez of becoming increasingly authoritarian and of being a destabilizing force in Latin America. The Venezuelan leader has repeatedly accused Washington of scheming against his left-leaning government.

Virginia-based Verizon Communications Inc. holds the largest minority share of CANTV, which was privatized in 1991. The takeover jeopardizes an agreement by Verizon to sell its 28.5 percent stake in CANTV to a joint venture of America Movil and Telefonos de Mexico SA, controlled by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim.

The sale had been awaiting Venezuelan government regulatory approval.
Chavez, a self-proclaimed "revolutionary" who is steering Venezuela toward socialism, has said he wants an immediate state takeover of the telephone company and will not pay shareholders the market value.

The Venezuelan leader has said the price for CANTV would take into account debts to workers, pensions and other obligations to the state.
Brownfield said he was optimistic that shareholders would be fairly compensated.

"I think it can be a process that concludes in a satisfactory manner for all those involved, that's my hope," he said.

Chavez a close ally of Cuban leader Fidel Castro (http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news/?p=Fidel+Castro) also has said he plans to nationalize the electricity sector, and take state control of four lucrative oil projects and the natural gas sector.

Relations between Caracas and Washington have been tense since Chavez was briefly ousted in a 2002 coup that he claimed the U.S. played a role in. The Bush administration has repeatedly denied involvement, although it recognized an interim government established by coup leaders.

Brownfield said he wanted to improve relations through "a serious and pragmatic dialogue between the two governments, to identify issues of mutual interest and to look for solutions to those issues."


LINK: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070126/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/venezuela_us

[Ghelp]

Why is he making a mess out of nothing.This mans paranoia is unmatched.

[D-gin]

Why is he making a mess out of nothing.This mans paranoia is unmatched.

He's just taking a poke at us (the US) as much as he can because he knows right now he can get away with it.

[plato]

He's just taking a poke at us (the US) as much as he can because he knows right now he can get away with it.

And he can get away with it is because they have oil. That is the bottomline.

[Ordie]

Rule #1

Take care of the goose that lays the golden egg.

I think Chavez should take a Franklin Covey class.

[D-gin]

And he can get away with it is because they have oil. That is the bottomline.
Your right but that can just as easily be his undoing.

[vryhpyammoadded]

It’s an age old formula to gain power; scapegoat someone, blow little things out of proportion or simply make stories up so people give you more power to protect them from said scapegoat. Eventually enough of the public just gives you total power.
Chavez is just a socialist/communist dictator wannabe who see’s his chance what with a significant portion of gullible, ignorant and or lazy electorate buying into the collective mass media that the US and those wily neocons are what he, in fact, is.
God, I am so sick of slimy politicians. Would someone rid us of these meddling fools?

[mudbunny]

I've never been to Venezuela, does anyone here what the conditions were like in that country before Fidel Jr. took over?

[countermeasure]

Well Mr. Chavez can suck my nuts.

[WARPIG]

I've never been to Venezuela, does anyone here what the conditions were like in that country before Fidel Jr. took over?

Politically Venezueala wasn't all that stable. Pretty common for a young democracy. They have had a few years of generally good democratic government.. but recently there has been a surge in hostile political plays. Chavez lead a failed coup himself when he was in the military.

Culturally, Venezuela was on the rise. The oil was a huge factor. The more noticeable issues that have historically been priority in Venezuela is the incursion of the paramilitary from columbia. Kidnapping and extortion were commonplace along the borderlands to columbia. Venezuela was much like Brazil or Colombia in that there has been great echonomic progress, but not evenly disbursed. The class lines that emerged in Venezuela are what Hugo Chavez has manipulated to leverage his power. If you recall, Venezuela in recent years used to be a strong showing in the Miss Universe pageants. An indication of the cultural obsession with plastic surgery. Venezuelan culture has always had strong ties with their European roots and were looking to have a very competitive tourist economy. The Chavez government has since squandered the natural resources that stood to be a huge international hot spot. Maracaibo Lake is nothing more than toxic sludge today. It is the largest lake in South America. Because Zulia (the state Maracaibo is in) produces 80% of Venezuela's oil, the beauty of the state capitol and the fishing/tourism trade has been killed off.
Some interesting trivia: The State Governor of Zulia was the last Governor in the opposing party to Chavez. He was the only person left to run against Chavez. There are no longer any opposing party states or members in government.

[Baboonass]

It’s an age old formula to gain power; scapegoat someone, blow little things out of proportion or simply make stories up so people give you more power to protect them from said scapegoat. Eventually enough of the public just gives you total power.
Chavez is just a socialist/communist dictator wannabe who see’s his chance what with a significant portion of gullible, ignorant and or lazy electorate buying into the collective mass media that the US and those wily neocons are what he, in fact, is.
God, I am so sick of slimy politicians. Would someone rid us of these meddling fools?


Bingo.

Although I would like to add, Chavez still does a lot of buisness with U.S. companies. His act is mostly for show, and wins him votes.

Best left in the catagory of, "oh, o.k., you got me, whoopie dee doo". As long as they continue to sell us oil at reasonable prices, I'll be more than happy to withstand their taunts.

[mudbunny]

Politically Venezueala wasn't all that stable. Pretty common for a young democracy. They have had a few years of generally good democratic government.. but recently there has been a surge in hostile political plays. Chavez lead a failed coup himself when he was in the military.

Culturally, Venezuela was on the rise. The oil was a huge factor. The more noticeable issues that have historically been priority in Venezuela is the incursion of the paramilitary from columbia. Kidnapping and extortion were commonplace along the borderlands to columbia. Venezuela was much like Brazil or Colombia in that there has been great echonomic progress, but not evenly disbursed. The class lines that emerged in Venezuela are what Hugo Chavez has manipulated to leverage his power. If you recall, Venezuela in recent years used to be a strong showing in the Miss Universe pageants. An indication of the cultural obsession with plastic surgery. Venezuelan culture has always had strong ties with their European roots and were looking to have a very competitive tourist economy. The Chavez government has since squandered the natural resources that stood to be a huge international hot spot. Maracaibo Lake is nothing more than toxic sludge today. It is the largest lake in South America. Because Zulia (the state Maracaibo is in) produces 80% of Venezuela's oil, the beauty of the state capitol and the fishing/tourism trade has been killed off.
Some interesting trivia: The State Governor of Zulia was the last Governor in the opposing party to Chavez. He was the only person left to run against Chavez. There are no longer any opposing party states or members in government.

Interesting stuff. It's a damn shame that a countries resources, not just economic but social as well, are totally squandered like that. Most of these countries in South America just wanna make you bang your head off a table with frustration. So much potential is totally pissed away because the good and virtous people, who actually give a damn don't step up to the plate and take control of their own government, which makes it a prime target for a communist nutjob or cartel leader. Kinda makes you appreciate people like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and Abraham Lincoln, eh?

[WARPIG]

Definately frustrating. I have family in Venezuela. I worry a lot about them. And, it is pretty much as you said. Most people in Venezuela know that Chavez is off his rocker. Problem is, there isn't such a thing as good people vs bad people... just people. Corruption runs deep and at different levels. Knowing someone that works in the government can help you get your sick kid seen a bit faster at the hospital. If your car gets stolen, your connections will get the law a bit more motivated to find it. Nothing that doesn't happen everywhere else. Thing is that is how daily life is there. So, when Chavez sets the tone from his big throne.. all the smaller wannabes use it to leverage something for themselves. It just continues down. Chavez lost that election by a long shot. Thing is, the people controlling the polls had a vested interest in seeing him stay in power. Add that to the way the "campaign workers" managed to buy the native indian populations votes and you buy yourself a dicatatorship.

Think of it as a country led by organized crime. The illegal and strong arm stuff is just a small portion of the way they operate. The rest is just aggressive networking. The Cappas and Lieutenants work for the Boss's interests but generally work for themselves. They use and influence people within their reach to keep their business interests healthy and making money. Pressure to play along is either obvious or subtle, but the benefits for playing along are always there. The strong arm stuff sometimes goes unnoticed, but also is used to send a message or to make an example for everyone to see. Illegal activity is usually very camoflaged or mixed in with straight business. Now imagine that a high level mob boss just got elected Mayor or Governer. Not much can touch him.

[Jobu]

I'm pretty sure this is the reason why the CIA helped take out Allende in Chile a few years back. He probably would have been just like this Chavez idiot, a popularly elected leader who uses that initial legitimacy to consolidate power and become dictator.

[2Sheds_Jackson]

Robber: I will take your wallet - give it to me!
Victim: No. -that's theft.
Robber: Stop meddling in my affairs!

rofl

Chavez is doing whatever it takes to get the price of oil back up. It's what is sustaining his power - he knows damn well that if the price continues downward, that he's in trouble.

[Hunterhr]

It's the same strategy that Iran is using. Each little jab at the US or the West is a distraction from problems at home.

[Mastermind]

Definately frustrating. I have family in Venezuela. I worry a lot about them. And, it is pretty much as you said. Most people in Venezuela know that Chavez is off his rocker. Problem is, there isn't such a thing as good people vs bad people... just people. Corruption runs deep and at different levels. Knowing someone that works in the government can help you get your sick kid seen a bit faster at the hospital. If your car gets stolen, your connections will get the law a bit more motivated to find it. Nothing that doesn't happen everywhere else. Thing is that is how daily life is there. So, when Chavez sets the tone from his big throne.. all the smaller wannabes use it to leverage something for themselves. It just continues down. Chavez lost that election by a long shot. Thing is, the people controlling the polls had a vested interest in seeing him stay in power. Add that to the way the "campaign workers" managed to buy the native indian populations votes and you buy yourself a dicatatorship.

Think of it as a country led by organized crime. The illegal and strong arm stuff is just a small portion of the way they operate. The rest is just aggressive networking. The Cappas and Lieutenants work for the Boss's interests but generally work for themselves. They use and influence people within their reach to keep their business interests healthy and making money. Pressure to play along is either obvious or subtle, but the benefits for playing along are always there. The strong arm stuff sometimes goes unnoticed, but also is used to send a message or to make an example for everyone to see. Illegal activity is usually very camoflaged or mixed in with straight business. Now imagine that a high level mob boss just got elected Mayor or Governer. Not much can touch him.
Ha...sounds very much like US!MM

[Kilgor]

It’s an age old formula to gain power; scapegoat someone, blow little things out of proportion or simply make stories up so people give you more power to protect them from said scapegoat. Eventually enough of the public just gives you total power.
Chavez is just a socialist/communist dictator wannabe who see’s his chance what with a significant portion of gullible, ignorant and or lazy electorate buying into the collective mass media that the US and those wily neocons are what he, in fact, is.
God, I am so sick of slimy politicians. Would someone rid us of these meddling fools?

yada yada, comrades give me the power to pass laws by decree and I will defend our glorious motherland on the road to socialism from the trecherous american fascist snakes. I wont misuse these powers, thats what the americans want you to think !.

40 years later, hes still in power and screwing the population.

[WARPIG]

Ha...sounds very much like US!MM

It does.. the difference is the corrupt politicians in the US are usually just trying to leverage against each other. In Venezuela, the politicians are all leveraging the rest of the country for their own interests.

[Hawkeye4077]

just where exactly does he rank on our **** list?

[exarmyguard]

Well Mr. Chavez can suck my nuts.

Well said.

[Ghelp]

just where exactly does he rank on our **** list?

Just behind Hillary Clinton p-)

[Hawkeye4077]

so about 4th?