And more from Chavez

[Foxfyre]

CARACAS, Venezuela - 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 $10.2 billion in local-currency bonds to raise cash this year, he said.

Form the AP

Well I foresee Venezuela going down hill

[IanKennedy]

I was there last year. We went to Caracas as part of a cruise. Needless to say the cruise line no longer calls at that port anymore. It was interesting place. Very run down and not somewhere you would want to walk around alone. There were vast numbers of people living in what the Brazilian's call a flavela, called a barrio there. Here is a typical picture:



The brightly pained ones are because the Olympics where held there a few years ago and the government gave them all free paint to disguise the state of them. The picture above shows the number of buildings that have been built since that time. Here's another view just to get a feel for the size of these places:

[stitch626]

WOW!

[IanKennedy]

We drove from the port to Caracas which took us about 45 mins. Virtually all the way along the route the mountains where covered in these things. They people living there have quite a good deal in some ways. For example they simply attach to passing overhead cables to get free power, they tap into the water system to get running water, again without paying for it. The guide told us that there was no bus services and that people walked into Caracas to go to work. Some walking for 3 hours to get in and 3 hours to get back. We say similar things in South Africa, there they're called Townships. The most powerful people in the townships are the taxi drivers, as they ferry people to and from work. The operate more like a bus service than a taxi. You see these pickup trucks crammed with loads of people barreling down the motorways. Quite odd.

Thinking about it I think it was the World Cup that was held there rather than the Olympics, not that it matters.

[Mark]

Crap. Do we have to invade them now TOO?!

[Sionnach Glic]

Depends. Do they have oil?

[Mark]

Good point. They could start exterminating the population, and we'll be staying at home

[Tsukiyumi]

Depends. Do they have oil?

Actually, yes. Lots of it.

[Sionnach Glic]

[Texan accent]
Time to liberate these bastards!

[/Texan accent]

[Tsukiyumi]

Do I have to pull up the clip of me talking again?

[Mikey]

Chavez would like nothing better than to play the wounded martyr to U expansionism. He's been goading the US constantly for the better part of the last decade, and only getting more nad more infuriated when the US response has been primarily that of, "Vene-who?"