Spanish:
Institutional
links
Venezuela
Central Bank
Economic Indicators
Venezuela Energy
& Mines Ministry
OPEC
Petroleumworld
Business
Partners:
Centre for
Global Energy
Studies
 
|
|
Lagniappe
San Francisco Cronicle:
Nationalizing natural resources: In Bolivia, it's a gas
Bolivia's new president, Juan Evo Morales Ayma, has kept the promise he made as a candidate before winning the election last December that would bring him to power: This week, he nationalized his country's oil and natural-gas resources and ordered the military to guard existing production facilities. Morales's nationalization move might "cause worry in the region," some observers are saying. (Yacatan.com.mx) Or, as Britain's Financial Times puts it, the socialist leader's action has already "fueled fears about [his] attempts to centralize power through the election of an assembly to rewrite Bolivia's constitution and his close ties to [Venezuelan President] Hugo Chávez...." (FT subscription required).
Today, Morales is meeting in Argentina with Chávez and the presidents of Argentina and Brazil, Néstor Kirchner and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. On their agenda: an analysis of South America's energy-production scene, especially in light of Bolivia's nationalization move. The left-leaning pols will also discuss how each and all of their countries may take part in a proposed, new "mega-gas-pipeline that Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela are planning to construct." (EFE/Terra, Spain and El Financiero, Mexico)
Morales had already made it clear before the four-nation pow-wow that his neighbors would continue to receive gas supplies, even after nationalization. As it is, each day "Bolivia exports an average of 27 million cubic meters [of natural gas]...to the Brazilian market and around 7 million cubic meters" of gas to Argentina. Morales did not consult any other country's government or any private companies before issuing his decree on Monday of this week - symbolically, he issued it on the May Day holiday recognized by millions of workers around the world. He said that "any country" has a right to "make a sovereign decision" about the control of its precious natural resources. "The decision [we've] taken is a decision for [the sake of] dignity, for the sovereignty of the country," the Bolivian president said. (EFE/El Correo Digital)
He added that any gas or oil companies that want to do business in Bolivia and that accept his government's new nationalization conditions "will be welcome," and that "their investment[s] will be respected." According to the Bolivian government, companies that, until now, had been running the country's large gas- and oil-production fields had already earned back their initial investments some time ago. Morales has refuted his critics' claims that "his colleagues, Hugo Chávez of Venezuela and Fidel Castro of Cuba, had advised him to pursue the nationalization measure...." (EFE/El Correo Digital)
Chávez - a perennial pest, as far as the Bush administration is concerned - observed, with his usual, oratorical flourishes, that, with Morales's nationalization action, "the Bolivian people have spoken, and the voice of the people is the voice of God." (La Jornada, Mexico)
The Venezuelan leader also has shot back at his detractors who have said that he has been "meddling" in the affairs of other Latin-American countries. Such critics, he said, represent "the right," which is feeling "desperate" because, these days in the region, it finds itself "in retreat." (Terra/EFE)
San Francisco Cronicle is San Francisco most read daily newspaper. Petroleumworld not necessarily share these views.
Editor's Note: This commentary was originally published by San Francisco Cronicle, May 3, 2006. Petroleumworld reprint this article in the interest of our readers. Petroleumworld not necessarily share these views.
All comments posted and published on Petroleumworld, do not reflect either for or against the opinion expressed in the comment as an endorsement of Petroleumworld. All comments expressed are private comments and do not necessary reflect the view of this website. All comments are posted and published without liability to Petroleumworld.
Fair use Notice: All works published by Petroleumworld are in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Petroleumworld has no affiliation whatsoever with the originator of this article nor is Petroleumworld endorsed or sponsored by the originator. Petroleumworld encourages persons to reproduce, reprint, or broadcast Petroleumworld articles provided that any such reproduction identify the original source, http://www.petroleumworld.com or else and it is done within the fair use as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
Internet web links to http://www.petroleumworld.com are appreciated.
Petroleumworld 05/08/06
Copyright ©2006 San Francisco Cronicle. All Rights Reserved.
Your feedback is important to us!
We invite all our readers to share with us
their views and comments about this article.Write to editor@petroleumworld.com
Any question or suggestions, please write to:
editor@petroleumworld.com
Best Viewed with IE 5.01+
Windows NT 4.0, '95, '98 and ME +/ 800x600 pixels