Venezuelan Army Seizes All Nation's Airports and Seaports

Source: Al Jazeera

Venezuela's military has taken control of all the country's major airports and sea ports, a move that critics say is meant to limit the powers of mayors, governors and other potential rivals to Hugo Chavez, the president.

Chavez said on Saturday: "Since this morning we began to reverse the disintegration of national unity."

The takeover, which was approved by the country's parliament, aims to bring the country's major transportation hubs under federal control this year.

"We are reunifying the motherland, which was in pieces. This is a very important step," Chavez said.

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, Abelardo Daza, a Caracas-based economist, said.

Soldiers were seen occupying major facilities under the legal reform approved by the pro-Chavez parliament, taking over maritime terminals in the opposition stronghold city of Maracaibo in the state of Zulia, the port of Guanta in Anzoategui and others in the states of Carabobo and Nueva Esparta.

Chavez announced the move last week and threatened to arrest opposition governors if they resisted.

Many opponents decried the order as unconstitutional and as an attempt to concentrate all power in Chavez's hands.

more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2009/03/200932123827496667.html

they arent owned in whole or in part by China, Saudi Arabia or anybody else. No one is propping them up or buying their assets.

Venezuela doesnt have Wal Mart do they?

Outrage, hmmmm? Different isnt always bad

managing their ports to Dubai?

I would be after watching the ballgame last night.

2. Why would they have a bias against President Chavez?

3. This looks to be the expected continuation of Chavez's consolidation of his power over Venezuela.

4. Yet another worker's revolution devolves into tyranny. One cannot centralize a workers revolution, it must be de-centralized.

5. "Venezuela depends on oil for 93 per cent of exports and nearly half its federal budget. Crude prices are now 65 per cent below their July 2008 peak." It is clear knowing that, that Venezuela's President is probably scared, because half of the budget could see a massive cut if oil prices don't rise in the future. He's used that budget to bribe off the people of Venezuela, through unsustainable programs. The statement that, "The president is explaining to the people that the world economic crisis has not affected Venezuela directly, but the slump in oil prices has." Shows Chavez's ignorance of economics. He seems to think that it won't affect Venezuela, yet it's reducing their oil revenues. Since so much of their exports/government budget is dependent upon world oil demand, the lesser oil demand due to the global recession will impact his country by that method.

6. I'm awaiting the typical flame war, though I'm glad the OP quoted an al-Jazeera story for this.

I haven't see this before.

:)

I was looking up the locations of the ports named in these articles. Here's a map:



If you look far to the left, Zulia is relatively close to the Colombian border and there's always some kind of trouble spilling across that border into Venezuela. Nueva Esparta is up north on the Carribean. The bit of reading I did this morning makes it sound as though there is a money laundering / drug trafficking problem there -- as there is in places like Miami and Honolulu. It looks quite beautiful and maybe a resort area?



Edit: Left, I meant far to the left.

you've never been to Venezuela? the homeland???

Thanks for the map, and for the info. The move prompted this idea, anyway. If you are interested in a GD: World News Group, stop in this thread:

:)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5308364&mesg_id=5308364

approved last week:

Venezuela cuts luxuries in new budget
Calcutta News.Net
Sunday 22nd March, 2009

A series of government cuts to offset falling oil revenues has been launched in Venezuela.

The budget changes, sanctioned by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, will include salary cuts for senior public officials, cutbacks on government and private executive vehicles, unnecessary advertising and a centralisation of the country's main airports and sea ports.

At the same time Chavez has recommended a 20% rise in the minimum wage.

The budget move was agreed to by parliament a week ago when President Chavez said that the revised 2009 budget would be based on oil prices at $40 a barrel, not the $60-a-barrel forecast which was made prior to the budget.

http://www.calcuttanews.net/story/480777

Did you think Aljazeera has a bureau in Venezuela?

Compare their report to this AP report:

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/03/21/news/LT-Venezuela-Ports.php