For the last 4 years, soaring worldwide oil prices and 9% growth rates have underpinned President Chavez’s generous social programs & his (none too successful) campaign to build an international anti-American alliance. The oil windfall saw the socialist government of Venezuela threaten to divert oil exports from the US to competitors in China and India, even though the Asian markets would be costlier to serve. Currently 60% of Venezuela’s production goes to the States.
As if Venezuela were not doing well enough, the government then imposed crippling tax increases & royalties on the IOCs (International Oil Companies) working there. Snapping up majority shares in oil-producing joint ventures & effectively forcing the multinationals to either take smaller roles or leave Venezuela. Now with oil revenues failing due to lack of demand on global markets, Chavez looks as though he is turning his attention to agriculture.
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