Why Chávez’s Friends Can’t Save His Petrostate – By Daniel Freifeld | Foreign Policy

Posted by Matt in March 18th, 2010 | no comment

Published in Venezuela, 5 Million, Blackouts, Cup Of Coffee, Currency Devaluation, El Presidente, Foreign Policy, Friends, George W Bush, Hard Currency, inflation, Investment, Mismanagement, Oil Industry, Oil Trading, President George W Bush, Profligacy, Speeches, State Coffers, Venezuela, Violent Crime

Venezuela’s oil industry is in crisis. Mismanagement and lack of investment have caused production to fall from a high of 3.5 million barrels per day in 1998 (when Chávez was elected) to 2.5 million barrels today. With oil trading at half its peak 2008 value, el presidente’s profligacy has emptied the state coffers. Blackouts are [...]

Venezuela beefs borders with Russian arms – UPI.com

Posted by Matt in January 11th, 2010 | no comment

Published in Venezuela, Anti Imperialist, Beefs, Borders, Colombia, Combat Helicopters, Controversial Decision, Fleet, Hugo Chavez, Military Bases, Neighbor State, Ria Novosti, Russian Arms, Russian Media, Russian Tanks, Ties, United States, Upi, Venezuela

Venezuela is poised to deploy a new fleet of Russian tanks and combat helicopters along its borders with Colombia, Russian media report.
RIA Novosti said the announcement was made by Venezuela’s anti-imperialist leader Hugo Chavez after ties with Colombia appeared to deteriorate even further, following a controversial decision by its rival neighbor state to sign a [...]

Fears grow of South American arms race

Posted by Matt in January 2nd, 2010 | no comment

Published in Americas, Military, 1970s, Aggression Pact, Ambitions, Big Spender, Bloody Civil War, Cabinet Ministers, Copper, Countries In South America, Fears, Gross Domestic Product, Hackles, Heavyweights, Legacy, Military Power, More Than Four Decades, Peru, Pinochet Regime, Profits, Venezuela, World Stage

Tabaré Vázquez, Uruguay’s president, recently described the arms race as a “reality”, while President Alan García of Peru sent his cabinet ministers across the region to try to broker a non-aggression pact. Brazil and Chile are the undeniable heavyweights in terms of spending. Brazil spent $24.6bn on defence in 2008, partly in an attempt to [...]

The Turbulent Year 2010 To Be the Year of Great Consequences – Pravda.Ru

Posted by Matt in December 31st, 2009 | no comment

Published in Forecasts, Geopolitical, Civil War, Consequences, Constraints, Geopolitical Issues, Gulf War, Large Scale, Mexico, Oil Prices, Persian Gulf War, Persian War, Pravda Ru, Prognoses, Running, Russia, Time Of Year, Tradition, Turbulent Year, Venezuela

Once again it is that time of year, where the minds of the world prognoses the future of humanity, for at least a year to come. In light of this tradition and for a second year running, I will endeavor to do the same.
… by the end of the year, oil will see a large [...]

Latin America’s New Cold War? | Foreign Policy

Posted by Matt in December 8th, 2009 | no comment

Published in Americas, Accusations, Bad Faith, Cold-War, Colombia, Cooperation Agreement, Decades, Drug Trafficking, Foreign Policy, Global Arms Race, Imperial Ambitions, Latin-America, Military Cooperation, Military Standoff, Oct 30, Tensions, Terrorism, Venezuela

Nearly two decades after the global arms race of the Cold War ended, many Latin America watchers today are worried about a new military standoff: between Colombia and Venezuela. As before, Washington is integral to the debate.
Tensions on both sides of the border have run high for several years, but a joint U.S.-Colombia [...]

U.S. Faces Rising Resistance to Its Latin American Policy – WSJ.com

Posted by Matt in December 1st, 2009 | no comment

Published in Americas, Brazil, China, Clout, Dominant Player, Economic Growth, Faces, Latin American Policy, Latin American Resources, Latin-America, Led, Regional Power, Resistance, Several Factors, Venezuela, Wsj

While the U.S. remains the dominant player in Latin America, its clout is curtailed by several factors, including Brazil’s rise as a regional power, the influence of a clique of anti-American nations led by oil-rich Venezuela, and the growing muscle of China, which sees Latin American resources as key to its own economic growth.
U.S. Faces [...]

Russia building arms plants in Venezuela – Forbes.com

Posted by Matt in November 30th, 2009 | no comment

Published in Venezuela, Ak 103, Andean Nation, Automatic Rifles, Contracts, Forbes, Military Helicopters, moscow, Plants, Russia, Venezuela

Russia is building arms plants in Venezuela to produce AK-103 automatic rifles and cartridges and is finalizing contracts to send 53 military helicopters to the Andean nation, Moscow’s envoy to Venezuela saidMonday.
Russia building arms plants in Venezuela – Forbes.com

Why is Venezuela sending 15,000 troops to the Colombian border?

Posted by Matt in November 18th, 2009 | no comment

Published in Venezuela, Borders, Colombian Border, Common With Islamic Fundamentalists, Cubans, Education, FARC, hezbollah, Iran, Terrorist Activities, Venezuela

What do Venezuelans really have in common with Islamic fundamentalists? Do the Cubans really provide services to Venezuela worth more than what the country spends on education? Are Iran, Hezbollah, and the FARC engaged in terrorist activities inside Venezuela’s borders? What happened to the Reyes files? After ten years of waiting, where is the paradise [...]

Chavez’s threats of war against Colombia should raise alarm bells — latimes.com

Posted by Matt in November 17th, 2009 | no comment

Published in Venezuela, War, Alarm Bells, Chavez, Colombia, Empty Threats, Latimes, Rampant Crime, Skirmish, Stagnant Economy, Venezuela

Venezuela’s leader is not making empty threats, says a consultant: A border skirmish, if not war, would solidify Chavez’s support base amid rising inflation, rampant crime, a stagnant economy.
Chavez’s threats of war against Colombia should raise alarm bells — latimes.com

Blackouts Plague Energy-Rich Venezuela – NYTimes.com

Posted by Matt in November 10th, 2009 | no comment

Published in Venezuela, Blackouts, Electricity, Hugo Chavez, Industrial Cities, Nationwide, Nytimes, Plague, Power Failures, President Hugo Chavez, Public Outcry, Rural Areas, Venezuela, Water Rationing

President Hugo Chávez has been facing a public outcry in recent weeks over power failures that, after six nationwide blackouts in the last two years, are cutting electricity for hours each day in rural areas and in industrial cities like Valencia and Ciudad Guayana. Now, water rationing has been introduced here in the capital.
Blackouts [...]