VitalAccurateThinking

On May Day: Chavez seizes oil fields

Totalitarian Communist takes another step.

May 1, 2007, 3:50PM
Chavez seizes Venezuela's last private oil fields

By NATALIE OBIKO PEARSON
CARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez's government took over Venezuela's last privately run oil fields today, intensifying a struggle with international firms over the development of the world's largest known petroleum deposit.

Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez declared that the Orinoco fields had reverted to state control just after midnight. Television footage showed oil workers in hard hats raising the flags of Venezuela and the national oil company over a refinery and four drilling fields in the Orinoco River basin. Chavez planned a more elaborate celebration later on May Day, the international workers' holiday, with red-clad oil workers, soldiers and a flyover by Russian-made fighter jets.

Personally, I feel sorry for the Venezuelan people. They are the ones who are going to suffer, not ConocoPhillips CEO JJ Mulva. Back in the day, I met him once. Needed a little help with his hand shake.

But no Castro.

Castro misses May Day parade

2.28, Tue May 1 2007

Speculation over the health of Cuban leader Fidel Castro is growing following his absence from the start of a May Day workers parade in Havana.

It appears the 80-year-old is still too weak to appear in public following his emergency surgery for intestinal problems nine months ago.

posted by Jim VAT @ 8:27 PM