Venezuela to Oil Firms: Accept Sovereignty or Leave

[chlamor]

Venezuela to oil firms; accept sovereignty or leave
Mon Apr 25, 2005 12:06 PM ET
By Pascal Fletcher

CARACAS, Venezuela, April 25 (Reuters) - Venezuela's government aims to reverse a past opening to foreign oil investors it says hurt the nation, and it will not work with companies that do not accept its energy sovereignty, Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez said Monday.

<snip>

The message seems mostly directed at U.S. oil majors which were the biggest participants in a wave of foreign investment in the world's No. 5 oil exporter in the 1990s, when previous governments opened up the energy sector.

Chavez, a fierce critic of Washington, has ordered a review of these 1990s oil contracts he says have "robbed" the nation of income he wants to use to finance national development. Venezuela remains a major oil supplier to the United States.

<snip>

"We're not ready to maintain a relation with any country -- even where there is a history of oil exchanges -- where we lose out, a relation of a colonized country, of a country that surrenders its resources," he said.

http://www.reuters.com/financeNewsArticle.jhtml?type=mergersNews&storyID=8285242§ion=investing

[mhr]

1. As The Oil Becomes More Valuable, Chavez Wants To Keep

More of the wealth for his country.

One wonders when the next CIA hit will occur?

[Judi Lynn]

2. As Bush has stepped up his aggression, Chavez has no choice

but to start removing the areas where he is open for exploitation and sabotage by the _Bush administration.

[stillcool]

3. i love this guy....and fear for him.....n/t

[KlatooBNikto]

4. Chavez is repeating the mistake Mossadegh made in Iran. Even as

we write here I am sure plans are being drawn up for his overthrow or assassination. His biggest protection is that many countries in Latin America including Brazil, Argentina, Chile and even Mexico are on his side and the days when oil companies could act with impunity to dethrone an elected chief of government is over.

[chlamor]

5. The entirety of Latin America

would erupt if Chavez were assassinated. Of course that isn't necessarily a deterrent to the criminals in D.C.

[Selatius]

6. But did Mossadegh have as much grassroots support as Chavez?

Killing Chavez won't remove the movement he has unleashed. Chavez' base is almost totally anchored at the grassroots level. It's what allowed him to survive crippling coup attacks and strikes and a recall referendum. That's incredible resilience. Destroying such a movement is going to take violent repression similar to that seen in Augusto Pinochet's Chile.

The people of Venezuela have had a taste of democratic socialism, and it appears they want more. They will not willingly allow themselves to be put back to sleep without a fight. I wish to express solidarity with the people of Venezuela. In the end, we are in the same boat as they are. We simply are workers who wish to provide a future for our families and build a better world.

The death of Chavez will be a tremendous blow for the people of Venezuela, and it'll be an emotional blow to me as well. He gives me, and no doubt millions of others, hope.

[KlatooBNikto]

16. I agree.Chavez is a new breed of leader in Latin America.Very

different from the installed "leaders" from Washington.He ,Lula,Kirschner and possibly Lopez-Obrador are going to give a run for the money to our Ivy League Imperialists used to having their own way in Latin America.

[chlamor]

17. "Ivy League Imperialists"

Like It
:toast:

[KlatooBNikto]

18. In fact, it also happens to be true. Many of the CIA hands were recruited

at Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Brown, Columbia during the 60's, 70s and 80s. Their sense of Anglo-Saxon entitlement and their contempt for Latin Americans was well expressed by Kissinger who pronounced "Latin America is such a third rate place".

[chlamor]

19. The Harvard Business School

Training ground for future economic hit men. They too are complicit in the war crimes and thus to be held accountable.

[greatbubba]

7. Chavez is a great LEADER

[lovuian]

8. This is what Corporations learn the hard way!!!

dictators presidents prime ministers can come in tommorrow and say Hey screw your company this is our country and we are taking you over

its called

Emminant Domain!!!

Capitalism has a problem!!!

[Cha]

9. Why should their country lose in

any exchange of oil for money? They're the ones with oil.

[Rainscents]

10. Go Chevez Go!!!

I love this man... I wish we had someone like him here.

[TahitiNut]

11. A Latin American President who actually represents the people's interests?

The global corporatists can't stand having one they haven't bought. What will they do? :eyes:

[AP]

15. Some corporations should like Chavez. Ford has had record business in Ven.

thanks to the fact that more people can afford cars.

[Judi Lynn]

12. Gotta post this photo again

_Bush trying to sneak by Chavez at an OAS Summit meeting, I believe. He looks as if he half expects Chavez to knock him flat, considering he has totally malicious, murderous intentions toward Chavez.

[Tempest]

13. Next up - Iraq

Members of the new Iraqi government are mad as hell the U.S. controls their oil and there's billions in revenue missing. They want full control over the oil and the money.

[Dover]

14. He and Putin are playing out of the same game book.

They don't want U.S. based multinationals running off with the spoils. Imagine that.