Chavez expels US envoy, Threatens with Oil and 2 Russian Bombers!!

[RSLudlum]

Shtf??

venezuela kicks out us ambassador

from correspondents in caracas, venezuela
september 12, 2008 01:21pm
source

venezuelan president hugo chavez expelled the us envoy to caracas today and threatened to halt crude exports to the us on a day he highlighted the recent arrival of two russian tu-160 strategic bombers.

Mr chavez today ordered us ambassador patrick duddy to leave the country within 72 hours, in a move he described as an act of solidarity with venezuela's ally bolivia, which also expelled its us envoy.

"starting at this moment the yankee ambassador in caracas has 72 hours to leave venezuela," mr chavez said at a public event in the port city of puerto cabello, 120km west of caracas.

He said it was "in solidarity" with the leftist government of president evo morales in bolivia, which yesterday ordered the us ambassador to la paz to leave.

Washington late today expelled bolivia's ambassador to the us.

Mr chavez then threatened to halt the supply of oil to the us, its main client, if washington attacks his government.

"if there is any aggression towards venezuela" from washington, "there would be no oil for the people of the united states," said mr chavez, who used coarse expletives to disparage the us government.

Also today mr chavez announced that his government had uncovered a coup plot hatched by active and retired military officers, which he said had tacit us approval.

A military prosecutor said two officers - retired general wilfredo barroso and retired major elimides labarca soto - will be tried for incitement to rebellion, a charge punishable by five to 10 years in prison.

At least eight other officers were detained in connection with the plot and were being interrogated, the prosecutor said.

Venezuelan public television aired a recorded conversation allegedly between three high-ranking retired military officers discussing plans to storm the presidential palace in caracas, target chavez and blow up the presidential plane.

"i have no doubt at all that the united states is behind plans to bomb this palace," he said, warning that "difficult times" lied ahead for venezuela.

The anti-us leader frequently alleges assassination and coup plots against him, usually pointing the finger at the us.

Mr chavez said those behind the latest plot were part of the country's "desperate political opposition" and "the american empire" led by us president george w. Bush.

Earlier in the day mr chavez said the presence of two russian tu-160 strategic bombers in venezuela is a "warning" to the us "empire," as he announced another coup plot against him had been foiled and suspects arrested.

"it's a warning. Russia is with us ... We are strategic allies," said mr chavez.

"it is a message to the empire. Venezuela is no longer poor and alone."

the united states said it would monitor the deployment of the two russian bombers, which it described as "cold war era assets," to venezuela.

 

[ladyjade3]

Read this:

http://books.google.com/books?id=Q3...&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result

and tell me he's crazy and paranoid.

 

[Grimnir Wotansvolk]

I really can't help liking Chavez. We should be so lucky to have a president with his balls.

 

[down-under]

I really can't help liking Chavez. We should be so lucky to have a president with his balls.

No thanks. He is a populist/sociallist idiot that puts his ego before his
country.

 

[mudhoney]

Just makes me think, if we had Ron Paul's version of government people like this would look like complete asses threatening us. Instead, it's all too easy for socialist leaders to rally people and gain power.

 

[Zippyjuan]

Chavez is all talk when it comes to cutting off US oil. We are his Number One paying customer and the major source of government income (some 80% of their foreign income) he is trying to use to spread his Marxist ideals to other Latin American countries via subsidised oil prices. He has also been spending tons on domestic military and social programs. Infliation is now running 25- 30% a year. He can't function without our money but at the same time, he is our fifth largest supplier providing us with 8.4% of our imports. http://perotcharts.com/2008/07/united-states-oil-imports-by-country-march-2008/

Venezuela exports about 2.2 million barrels a day- the US buys 1.4 million or more than half.

We both need each other.

 

[HOLLYWOOD]

TO China crude oil exports were 27,500 bpd in the first half of 2005

TO China crude oil exports were 70,000 bpd first half of 2006

TO China crude oil were 200,000 bpd first half of 2007

TO China crude oil exports Venezuela will be exporting 500,000 barrels of oil a day to China by 2009

That's a big increase in 4 years!

Venezuela's state-run energy company PDVSA announced South America's largest oil exporter shipped an average of 200,000 barrels per day of crude oil and byproducts to China so far in 2007, El Universal newspaper reported Tuesday.

While that amount pales in comparison to the nearly 1.4 million bpd of Venezuelan oil that was exported to the United States in July, China's exports have risen nearly three-fold since last year.

Erik Kreil, an international oil market analyst at the U.S. Energy Information Administration, noted that Venezuela's exports to China were 27,500 bpd day in the first half of 2005, the first full year Beijing began pursuing Venezuelan petroleum.

By the first half of 2006, Venezuelan oil exports reached 70,000 bpd.

Kreil and others attribute the increase to China's own growing demand for fuel, as well as Venezuela's desire to diversify its customer portfolio and reduce its dependency on the United States.

"But China can only take so much," Kreil told United Press International Tuesday. "The bottom line is there is only so much they can diversify away" from the United States.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has made clear his intention to do just that, sparking some concerns the reduced output to the United States was in fact a policy decision.

In February, Venezuela's Foreign Ministry adopted a "take 'em or leave 'em" attitude toward the United States, suggesting its petroleum industry could survive without the billions of dollars in annual revenue from its largest customer.

"We are going to keep selling oil to North America because we are a serious country and we sell it to North American society," said Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro earlier this week in response to remarks by U.S. officials. "(But) if they say they do not need it, well, let them stop buying it."

Venezuela supplies about 12 percent of the oil imported by the United States, making it Venezuela's largest customer. It is the No. 4 U.S. supplier. Venezuela provided discounted Heating oil to cities in northeatern US, yet the American wholesalers and retailers increased prices of that heating oil for a larger profit share. <=== here's the part that really sticks on me.

BEIJING (AP) - Venezuela will be exporting 500,000 barrels of oil a day to China within five years, President Hugo Chavez said Wednesday at the start of a trip aimed at forging stronger energy ties with China.

Chavez arrived in Beijing with plans to sign agreements on joint projects in petroleum, telecommunications, farming and railways that will significantly boost China's investment in Venezuela, the world's No. 5 oil exporter. He proposed an ambitious target plan under which Venezuela will almost quadruple sales to China, which wants access to Latin American energy supplies to fuel its booming economy.


http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/calgarybusiness/story.html?id=c8c14b3e-e763-49b2-817a-97da2cd3b5e5


http://english.people.com.cn/200607/13/eng20060713_282729.html

http://www.sunjournal.com/biz/20060824049.php

 

[Defining Obscene]

No thanks. He is a populist/sociallist idiot that puts his ego before his
country.

Actually he gave his people a unified constitution that guaranteed free education, freedom of religion, language, etc.., something they didn't have until he came to power which was less than 10 years ago. Hes only a socialist as a result of what crooked capitalism has done to the majority of Venezuelans. I guess you don't believe the Venezuelan people deserve to reap the benefits of having oil, that belongs to the few and well-connected.

 

[Zippyjuan]

There are a lot of questions about the state of Venezuela's oil production. Since the companies were nationalized (and the companies effected are still suing to try to get back their investments- Exxon has had $12 billion in Venezuelan assets frozen while it's claim is examined) no foreign companies have been helping. They were primarily responsible for getting their "heavy oil" production going. And between the State syphoning off all their monies and the corruption of those currently running it, there has been no investment in either improving or maintaining their production which was estimated to have fallen by six percent in 2007. The oil they are sending to China is supposedly to pay for loans from the Chinese. In 2006 Venezuela bought oil from Russia -100,000 barrels a day- to fulfill some of its contracts. Then they keep promising more oil to supportive governments like Cuba . Then there is their plan to buy $30 billion worth of weapons from Russia. http://eldib.wordpress.com/2008/07/...issiles-would-ensure-venezuelas-oil-security/

Figures on Venezuela's oil production and sales are hard to verify. According to their numbers, they produce over 3.3 million barrels a day. Others estimate real production closer to 2.4 million a day and falling.

http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=31765

I don't think that Venezuela can maintain this. But then again, not having the money to pay for things never stopped the US from doing anything either.

They, along with Iran, were the ones requesting a cut in OPEC production to keep the price of oil higher. It sounds like they need the money.

 

[PatriotOne]

Anyone keeping track of how the WWIII teams are lining up? Here's what I have so far.

U.S./Europe vs. the rest of the world

 

[down-under]

Actually he gave his people a unified constitution that guaranteed free education, freedom of religion, language, etc.., something they didn't have until he came to power which was less than 10 years ago. Hes only a socialist as a result of what crooked capitalism has done to the majority of Venezuelans. I guess you don't believe the Venezuelan people deserve to reap the benefits of having oil, that belongs to the few and well-connected.

You are wrong in your assessment: his policies are killing the economy and the liberties of the venezuelan people.
Inflation and corruption are rampant under chavez (inflation in the 20's). Foreign investment- the engine for the diversification of the venezuelan economy has evaporated since he took power as a result of forced confiscations.
He is running one of the most wasteful and corrupt governments around the world specifically the 162th most corrupt goverment in the word, even more corrupt that Zimbabwe!. He could have used the vast amount of cash generated from the rise of petrol prices to have transformed Venezuelan society but he has missed the opportunity. He is spending the money short-term on corrupt government run programs that won't make a difference for venezuela's future: communication/IT penetraion is still low, health-care and education are poor, crimes have risen three fold since he is in power. While at the same time Hugo chavez is destroying productive business that are the key for venezuela's future. Business freedom is the tenth lowest of the world.

On personal libirties he doesn't have a good track record either, Chavez is a military man that made a coupe-d'etat, his regime is "hybrid" (democracy index), freedom of speech has been hampered by the government as well.

Latin-americans have more than the choice between "crony capitalism" and "stupid socialist populism" there are sotuh american governments both in the center-left and the centre-right doing both social and economical progress without resorting to the stupid policies of Chavez (Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, costa rica come to mind as good examples of good governance)