Events in Venezuela

I have seen a number of interesting stories on Venezuela this week. First was: The Chávez Spiral With petroleum prices down around $71 a barrel from a high of $147 the Venezuelan government is struggling […]

Is Venezuela’s Stagflation the Beginning of the End for Chavez?

I am just finishing up Biofuel Contenders, and should have that up later today or first thing tomorrow. Until then, a topical post from the latest from Money Morning, which as I previously explained will […]

Venezuela’s Slide Continues

At this point, you have to wonder who in their right mind will ever do business in Venezuela again as long as Chavez is in power. The risk that Chavez will steal your property is […]

Chavez Back Pedals

Now this is pretty funny: Chávez Lets West Make Oil Bids as Prices Plunge CARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chávez, buffeted by falling oil prices that threaten to damage his efforts to establish a Socialist-inspired […]

I’m in the Wrong Business

Update: As Maury pointed out in the comments, Chavez has reconsidered: Venezuelan-owned Citgo Petroleum, which had earlier indicated it might end a home heating oil assistance program for low-income Americans, yesterday said it had decided […]

Palin a Friend of Big Oil?

Count me among those stunned by McCain’s pick for his VP candidate. It neutralizes the strongest argument he had against Obama: Not enough experience. Never again can he utter these words. Further, I can’t comprehend […]

Nationalize the Oil Industry?

In a post I wrote just over a year ago – Peak Oil: End of the World? – I posed the following: If you think the public is outraged now, wait until gas is $10 […]

Attempting the Impossible

I ran across the following today: Our view on gasoline prices: With crude at $100 a barrel, Big Oil needs no tax breaks It’s difficult — make that impossible — to justify taxpayer subsidies for […]

Newsflash: Chavez to Increase Oil Taxes Again

When ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips walked out of Venezuela last year instead of accepting radical changes to their previously agreed upon contracts, I think they could see the handwriting on the wall. As long as Chavez […]

Chavez Targets “Big Milk”

After threat to cut off oil, Chavez says Venezuela may expropriate milk plants CARACAS, Venezuela: President Hugo Chavez warned that some milk plants may be expropriated to ease shortages, singling out Italy’s Parmalat SpA and […]