The government of Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez will expropriate its first farm, taking Venezuela straight down Zimbabwe road. The grab was announced this morning and will happen Saturday. The chavistas' first target is a British-owned cattle ranch. The move is a bold beginning for the chavista communists who will roll out both military and police forces for the seizure, beginning the first in a series.The communists' mendacious rationale is that a British company, Vestey Group, did not have proper title to 3000 hectares of its 13,000-hectare cattle ranch. So they are taking it all. But the owners of the land are fighting this action and maintain that the land has a clear title and deed since 1830. Two previous governments reafirmed ownership in the 1970's after two previous expropriation attempts. It is noteworthy that these communists are going for the most productive land in the country. 64% of Venezuela's undeveloped land is government land, but there is no interest in redistributing that real estate to 'the people' in Venezuela. ... They want the best for themselves and are taking it now.
Castro was tolerated because Cuba was an island and didn't produce anything other than sugar and cigars. Venezuela produces OIL and is on the continent in a position to subvert other major countries. I don't see how we can let this buffoon and his thugocracy continue. We can't tolerate a South American Mugabe.