How a toilet paper shortage may temper Chavismo in Venezuela

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2013/0519/How-a-toilet-paper-shortage-may-temper-Chavismo-in-Venezuela

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Newly elected President Nicolás Maduro invited Lorenzo Mendoza, the billionaire boss of Venezuela's largest privately held company, Empresas Polar SA, to the Presidential Palace this week. Mr. Mendoza spent years on the outs with the Chávez government. Now, however, it appears Mendoza and Mr. Maduro may have reached a mutual understanding, leading to speculation that an attitudinal change on the part of the government towards big business may be in the works.

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"The main agreement was not to politicize the issue of food," said Mendoza, adding that he was "extremely pleased" after exchanging ideas with the new president on how to boost national food production.

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"It's evident that [the government] is finally realizing that it was mistaken in its policies," says Ismael Pérez Vigil, executive president of the Venezuelan Confederation of Industries, Conindustria. "That it can't respond to the country's needs by controlling the market."

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Mr. Vigil, whose confederation represents more than 80 percent of the country's manufacturers, explains the key issue among business concerns is a lack of foreign currency made available to companies. According to Consecomercio, a Caracas-based trade chamber, greenbacks are vital to feeding the nation as about 70 percent of the goods consumed in the country are imported or assembled from raw materials shipped from abroad.