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our Hugo, hat in hand.... Venezuela swallows rhetoric, buys American food

Venezuela swallows rhetoric, buys American food
President Hugo Chávez has bought tons of items from U.S. food companies in order to combat shortages in Venezuela.
Posted on Fri, Jan. 25, 2008Digg del.icio.us AIM reprint print email
By CASTO OCANDO
cocando at ElNuevoHerald.com
Amid the worst food shortages in Venezuela in decades, the government of President Hugo Chávez has put aside its anti-American rhetoric and bought tons of products from U.S. food companies.

A food supply plan launched this week by Chávez includes rice from Texas and Arkansas, black beans from Idaho, and cooking oil from Tennessee and Iowa.

During the launch of the plan, dubbed Food Combo, Chávez acknowledged that the shortages ''are hurting half the world'' in Venezuela and said his government will spend $800 million to buy about 150 tons of food around the world, including the United States.

Food production in Venezuela dropped after Chávez froze most prices, saying he wanted to make more food available to the country's poor.

The government runs a string of subsidized markets, which must import 70 percent of their products.

The Combo -- the name refers to a basket of foodstuffs that will be offered -- will include a liter of vegetable cooking oil bought from the Houston-based Cal Western Packaging Co.

The company is one of the biggest U.S. distributors of vegetable cooking oil, co-owner Ron Phelps told El Nuevo Herald in a telephone interview.

Several tons of black beans, a staple of the Venezuelan diet, were bought from the Trinidad Benham Corp. in Denver, the largest U.S. distributor of grains and rice.

The rice comes from Gulf Pacific, also based in Houston, which has processing plants in Arkansas and Texas.

The government also said it plans to import other foodstuffs such as eggs, milk products, beef, and chicken.

''Everyone is looking like crazy for containers of powdered milk and chicken to take to Venezuela,'' said a South Florida businesswoman who is negotiating contracts with U.S. suppliers.

Chávez has said the Combo plan aims to supply about one-third of the national consumption -- about 300,000 tons per month, to be sold through neighborhood shops and councils.

By famsearch on Jan 25, 2008, 20:28 in Friendly Talkzone.

la campiña says on Jan 25, 2008, 20:37:

know your enemy

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famsearch says on Jan 25, 2008, 20:48:

you can be certain that he's not crowing too loudly about having to feed his country by buying from el diablo... lol

dan

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slguy says on Jan 26, 2008, 00:25:

The Empire Strikes Back! jajajajajajjaja

I hope that asshole is paying twice market value on everything.

Before you throw me out, make sure I pay my bar tab

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billyb says on Jan 26, 2008, 00:30:

I wonder if some of that food he's purchasing from el diablo bush smells slightly of sulfur?

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jh816 says on Jan 26, 2008, 05:11:

It's a shame that the poor and uneducated (in how economics and policy work) will buy into his crap about how the food shortages are a product of world factors and not of Venezuela's economic and political policies. By many, for this act of buying food, Chavez will be seen as a savior, not as the idiot that caused the shortages in the first place.

God help Chavez if oil prices ever come down. He's hurting enough with the price near $100.

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El Polo says on Jan 26, 2008, 06:35:

Chavez spinning issues in his favor again. I truly feel for the people he manipulates with his rhetoric .

The pot calling the kettle black.

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sloopskipper says on Jan 26, 2008, 08:30:

FUNNY, billyb!

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Sr Tertius says on Jan 26, 2008, 10:52:

I don't understand why people are still surprised by news that trade between Venezuela and the US is not as affected as Chavez's and Bush's rhetorics would suggest. Venezuelans have been buying US goods and the US has been buying Venezuelan oil all this time. SO? Where's the surprise? What's next? "Oh my God! Chavez is wearing underwear made with US cotton!" Get real.

"When the finger points to the moon, the fool looks at the finger" (Chinese proverb)

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catherine b says on Jan 26, 2008, 10:59:

Well I think it's because Chavez has said that the "empire" wants to assasinate or depose him...well now it's Colombia that's guilty of that. And while I don't doubt that the USA and Colombia among others would love to see Hugo leave, if the USA were really that serious about and commited to overthrow Chavez as he claims we could have done that already by no longer buying his oil.

The 2 countries he attacks the most are also the two that he is most dependent on both financially as well as food supplies.

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Sr Tertius says on Jan 26, 2008, 11:27:

I think by now most people know that Chavez talks a lot of BS, and Bush and Uribe are not too far behind. They're politicians after all: That's their job.

I am somewhat amused when people are shocked by the typical inconsistency of words and actions in politics. Like they were born yesterday.

"When the finger points to the moon, the fool looks at the finger" (Chinese proverb)

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podborski says on Jan 26, 2008, 11:30:

what I find amusing is that you say you are not a fan of FARC or chavez sr t, yet you ALWAYS try to excuse everything they do. Never see you apologising for Uribe or Bush now do we?

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Sr Tertius says on Jan 26, 2008, 12:09:

Excuse? Apologize? Where? Show me an example.

Ah, I forgot, you don't believe in facts. If the voices in your head tell you that I am a farco, it must be true.

"When the finger points to the moon, the fool looks at the finger" (Chinese proverb)

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podborski says on Jan 26, 2008, 15:46:

no I just say you are a supporter who doesn't have the courage to admit it, so you never come out and state your position openly, just constantly try to belittle everyone who criticizes your idols.

At least that's my take on it : )

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Sr Tertius says on Jan 26, 2008, 18:12:

Oh, no, Pod, you uncovered my secret identity! My plot to turn PBH into a Chavista/pro-FARC forum has now been destroyed! Damn you Bond, I mean, Pod!

http://www.uselessmoviequotes.com/files/fluids.wav

"When the finger points to the moon, the fool looks at the finger" (Chinese proverb)

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podborski says on Jan 26, 2008, 18:57:

I knew it!

Now 007, there's a guy to look up to.

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famsearch says on Jan 28, 2008, 19:41:

well, he can't be too nasty towards us, the u.s. is about the only country that has the capacity to refine the low grade crude that they export.

dan

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