Venezuela to seize 'idle' firms

[Gman]

The Venezuelan government has warned it will confiscate hundreds of private companies that are lying idle if they fail to re-open.

President Hugo Chavez said the firms' workers would be given help to set up co-operatives and re-start production for the benefit of the community.

He said the move was needed to fight poverty and end Venezuela's dependence on "the perverse model of capitalism".

Some business leaders fear it may lead to a wider attack on private property.
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"Either capitalism, which is the road to hell, or socialism, for those who want to build the kingdom of God here on Earth," he said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4692165.stm

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This doesn't have to be a threat to the business leaders. They only see it as a threat on general principles. They can get help for their own weak business but they won't see it that way.

Chavez continues to show the world how things should be done.

[IndianaGreen]

1. Related story: Venezuela to Eliminate Large Estates

This is basic socialism at work eliminating injustice! Land reform is a big issue in the Third World.

Venezuela to Eliminate Large Estates

Caracas, Jul 19 (Prensa Latina) Venezuelan Minister of Agriculture and Lands (MAT) Antonio Albarran assured Tuesday his institution will act with all the weight of the law to eliminate large underutilized estates from Venezuela.

At the opening of the National Farmers Security Workshop, officiated at by Venezuelan Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel in the Palace of Miraflores, Albarran assured the MAT social objective is the farmers´ movement, which must be provided with the conditions to reactivate national agricultural and industrial production, to achieve food sovereignty.

<snip>

It is estimated that 75 percent of Venezuelan lands are in hands of 5 percent of the population, while the country imports between 70 and 80 percent of its food.

http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID={5EFE3868-2DD5-4D5B-8D3D-2ABA12046A41}&language=EN

[eridani]

2. Worker takeovers in the Argentine crisis

--led to viable productiive enterprises. Don't see why the same shouldn't happen in Venezuela.

[knowbody0]

3. what an inspiration this man is

[Judi Lynn]

4. From a different source:Chavez Says Venezuela Will Expropriate Closed Ente

Chavez Says Venezuela Will Expropriate Closed Enterprises

Monday, Jul 18, 2005

By: Venezuelanalysis.com



Venezuela's President Chavez holding up
a cacao seed during his weekly television
program Aló Presidente.
Credit: Prensa Presidencial

Caracas, Venezuela, July 18, 2005—Venezuela’s President Chavez announced that all closed businesses will be evaluated as to whether they should be expropriated and reopened under worker control. Chavez made the announcement Sunday, during his weekly television program Aló Presidente.

According to Chavez, the government already has a list of 136 closed businesses that appear to be ideal candidates for expropriation, which are currently being evaluated. “We have discovered 700 closed enterprises. That cannot be,” said Chavez. “It is against the national constitution that there are closed businesses in Venezuela. This is just as with idle land,” he added.
(snip)

Expropriations to advance this program would, however, be only a last resort. Agreements with current owners would first be attempted, so that the enterprises might reopen as social production enterprises with government support. Agreements could be reached, “always when the owners are willing to improve the enterprise, to promote worker participation, and to involve them in the distribution of the products, as well as to make them participants in the benefits ,” said Chavez.

If this is not possible, the enterprise would be expropriated, as has already happened with several bankrupt enterprises, such as the paper factory Invepal and the valve-making factory Inveval. According to Venezuelan law, owners of expropriated businesses receive full market value for their expropriated business.
(snip/)

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=1692

[SoCalDem]

5. The rich company owners will not want to re-open

if they cannot take all the money for themselves, by paying $0.50 a day to peasants, and then "charging" them for living expenses on the "compound"..

They will likely walk away from them, and re-open in China..

Go Hugo!

While these people still know how to farm, they need to be given enough land to support their own families, and to re-form small villages like they are used to.Herding indigenous people into cities, where they cannot survive is stupid ²

[sadiesworld]

7. Thanks, Judi.

The 'just compensation' part always seems to get left out of the equation when Chavez is concerned.

US: Take homes from the middleclass, make them take you to Court for fair compensation, use the property to make a fortune (using tax dollars) building a stadium and you can be president of the country.

VZ: Take idle businesses and fallow land from the wealthy, pay fair compensation, use the property to lift people out of poverty and you can be the villain of the 'free' world.

:shrug:

[Peace Patriot]

6. Would that WE had a creative, and legitimately elected, president!

Go, Venezuela!

[bluestateguy]

8. They are being given a chance to obey the law

and then they will be given another chance, and then another.

The rule of law.