Chávez reopens oil bids to West as prices plunge

IHT.COM ^

[MAD-AS-HELL]

CARACAS: President Hugo Chávez, buffeted by falling oil prices that threaten to damage his efforts to establish a Socialist-inspired state, is quietly courting Western oil companies once again.

[MAD-AS-HELL]

It's too bad oil companies can't collude and tell him to go to hell. They all know that if he has a chance again, he'll screw them. Why won't they revolt and throw his ass out?

[arrogantsob]

I figure he will start a war with Colombia as a means of distraction and unification of the nation. Recall the recent visits of Russian and Chinese military assets and the on going terrorism directed against Colombia from Venezulan based/backed forces.

[hippyhater]

Falling oil 1 billion dollars a month
New Russian military equipment $100’s of millions of dollars
selling out your left wing morals priceless

[SAJ]

You're very naive. The discount to Chavez' sludge from useful crude has done nothing but increase as crude prices have come down.

His last remaining assets outside of V are his associate refineries. These will go away, quite involuntarily, if crude prices stay low.

Typical stupid socialist. Promises, promises, and guts his own country's economy to try to keep them.

[FormerACLUmember]

Step right up suckers.

[Frantzie]

This happens over and over. Russia did this over and over. Oil companies should tell Chavez to go to hell. The Venezuela oil industry will fall apart. Chavez needs oil company $$ for new equipment etc

[ChinaThreat]

You may be more correct than you know. The border of Venezuela and Colombia is similar to the terrain in parts of vietnam. I’m not sure there will be direct conflict between the nations’ armies, but there may be major unrest at a guerrilla type level. Chavez will hide behind groups like FARC and the Shining Path. He will stir up the cocoa farmers in the country and the drug dealers in Bogota, Medellin and Cali.

Chavez is a major belligerent in the Western Hemisphere. I thought Bush was like TR. If he was, he would honor the Roosevelt Corollary and do something about this idiot. I understand we have two wars going on, but this is our backyard.

[ken21]

isn’t about time for some social disruption in paradise?

[arrogantsob]

This worm should have been squashed yrs ago when the housewives had him on the ropes. Colombian forces have already been operating against the terror infrastructure in Venezula. This will likely intensify.

[Nathan Zachary]

"President Hugo Chávez, buffeted by falling oil prices that threaten to damage his efforts to establish a Socialist-inspired state, is quietly courting Western oil companies once again.'

HAHAHAHAHA! Dream on Chavez. You've screwed yourself royally now that the tar you call oil is virtually worthless. No sane oil company will risk capital to develop butuate in a stable country, never mind a country where short fat dictators seize the assets of companies doing business in good faith as soon as theirs money to be made.

[WellyP]

Hugo will take Guyana first. There is more oil there and only limited U. S. defences!

[arrogantsob]

I have heard of nothing going on there between the two.

[Rome2000]

Capitalism dictates that the US companies deal honestly.

Chavez considers HUSSEIN OBAMA from KENYA a SOCIALIST ally.

Thats why he is making his move.

[WellyP]

This has been going on for a long time and will explode. Hugo does not dare to go west so he must go east. He needs a distraction from all the economic problems his social model has caused.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/12/world/americas/12venez.html
“...The tension involves the region around the Cuyuni River, a porous area claimed by Guyana and Venezuela that is rife with illegal mining. Guyana’s military says 36 Venezuelan soldiers entered the area last month, using helicopters and C-4 explosives to blow up the dredges...”

History:
http://www.allbusiness.com/caribbean/608419-1.html
http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-5486.html
http://countrystudies.us/guyana/87.htm

[BBell]

He can buy all the high tech Russian and Chinese military hard wear he wants but if his military does not know how to use it it might as well be scrap. The Colombian Army would destroy him. I just hope “The One” continues to back the Colombians, but part of me thinks he will turn his back on them and create more problems for our future generations, kind of like Carter did.

[VeniVidiVici]

Hey Chavez!!

[berdie]

I think you are 100 per cent correct.

[listenhillary]

"Chávez has left his so-called strategic partners out to dry, like the Chinese, who have been given the same treatment as Exxon."

Maybe Russia will bend over for them. Oops, I forgot about the money owed to Russia for all of the arms and weapons. Chavez, you are really screwed and have few friends.

Another tidbit.

Nationalizations in other sectors, like agriculture and steel manufacturing, are fueling capital flight, leaving Venezuela reliant on oil for about 93 percent of its export revenue in 2008, up from 69 percent in 1998 when Chávez was first elected.