Posted on 01/10/2005 1:35:02 PM PST by rightalien
Exposing the Venezuelan government's private land grab along with other blogs, A.M. Mora y Leon suggested that the MSM is taking a nap on this major story.
Now they seem to have awakened, but are sleep walking through this incident, gently portraying it as another case of class warfare with the government on the side of the little guy as in this generally sympathetic AP report.
Government officials escorted by troops and police descended on a privately owned cattle ranch Saturday to determine whether some lands may be turned over to poor farmers as part of an agrarian reform. [....]
The vast El Charcote Ranch, 125 miles southwest of Caracas, is one of many across Venezuela being eyed by authorities as they move forward on a sweeping plan to re-evaluate uses of agricultural lands in this South American country.
Squatters have moved onto the 32,000-acre ranch and planted crops in hopes the land will one day be declared their own.
An ally of Chavez, Cojedes state Gov. Jhonny Yanez Rangel, told supporters who gathered at the ranch along with heavily armed National Guard troops and police that "private property ... is a right, but not absolute" and that "the collective interest" must be considered.
"We didn't come to expropriate, but to do justice," said Yanez, as helicopters that will be used to survey lands hovered.
Officials said the evaluation will take 90 days and will determine whether the ranch lands are being properly used and whether the owner has rightful claims to the land.
But don't blame the media messenger.
The threat of government sanctioned expropriation of private land, even from foreigners, has frightening implications for all citizens. The AP reporter has to live in a country ehich is willing to brutalize its own citizens.
"An ally of Chavez, Cojedes state Gov. Jhonny Yanez Rangel..."
Any relation to Congressman Rangel, other than the fact that both support Chavez, that is?
Hey is there anyone here who is keen on Central American history, I am in a debate with a liberal about central America, and I am young so I don't remember much about it. If you can give me links, or information that would be much appreciated.
If Venezuela has any assets in GB, it too should be expropriated. Seems fair.
The problem is that they are more likely to be private assets than assets owned by the Venezuelan government.
Chavez is going to turn Venezuela back into a third world country. It was once a developing country. Can't say that anymore.
Communists. Venezuela should be added to Bush's "Countries to Invade, Conquer, and Subjugate" list.
Bolivia went Commie and now Venezuela. Betcha Castro is involved in a big way.
Relevant comment about many Latin American countries.
Great wealth there was most often obtained not by productive activities, but rather by stealing land and other assets through political connections.
Is it really a conservative value to claim that all property acquired in this way is immediately sacrosanct, and that the ill-gotten gains of the thief and his descendants are forever off-limits from repossession by those they stole it from?
The US main stream, old-timey, ultra left wing media will give any support they can to an anti-American, neocommunist government whether it is in Viet Nam, Cuba, North Korea or Iran. If the foreign government works against America, the NYT will support it!!
"Chavez is going to turn Venezuela back into a third world country"
Yep. Rounding second and headed to third.
This is about a dictator seizing foreign held lands without just compensation to pursue a political agenda that Chavez is too damn stupid to see is doomed.
Chavez will realize his folly after the NEXT coup when his victims put El Jefe up against a wall and a hail of bullets signals his passage to Hell.
In the meantime, let the turd world-wannabes starve.
Gotta buy my .50
Thanks for your non-reply.
To put it into US terms, if political cronies of FDR had stolen 75% of the land and other assets of the country during his presidency, do the descendants of the thieves have an eternal right to enjoy the fruits of their ancestor's theft unmolested?
I don't think so.
If I remember correctly, those who presently own assets stolen by Nazis from Jews have often been forced to disgorge.
Although Chavez's approach, of course, is likely to be a disaster.
Venezuelan troops grab farms from Lord 'Spam' Vestey -
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1317197/posts
Land intervention by the Venezuelan Government: It’s all about populism
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1314903/posts
Land seizure and the delinquency of the Venezuelan state
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1318249/posts
Venezuela: Illegal land grab by the puppets continues
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1310574/posts
The unfortunate thing here is that Chavez will effectively evict foreign investment from Venezuela. While I absolutely do not support the theft of the previous regime the foreign firms that invested in good faith under the defacto rules of that regime should not be victimized for obeying the rules in place at the time. Chavez is setting a torch to his existing economy and will leave his nation in utter ruin before his Pol-Pot style agrarian reform gets a chance to starve it.
Foreign firms will divest of Venezuela as it cannot be trusted with investment and the nation will also find foreign credit sources drying up as the nation has no means to repay loans.
Chavez can address the wrongs of the past with true reforms, but simply stealing from companies to right a wrong creates more problems.
Also, I disagree with the actions by Jews to recover items lost in the course of war. Why? Because the Jews have already received almost sixty years of compensation for these losses from the German taxpayer. It is wrong for them to pursue recovery of items they have already received payment for...over and over and over.
If the Jews want to recover all of their lost art it is only fair that they should also have to repay Germany the amount of compensation Germany paid for that item(s). No different that if you make an insurance claim on a lost item which you later recover - you have to give the insurance company their money back.
Bear in mind I am pro-Israel.
Using this principle of redressing past wrongs no matter what then Great Britain has a right to reoccupy the US Eastern seaboard. Mexico has a right to recover lands not included in the Gadsden Purchase (a Treaty agreement not made under duress). Canada has a right to occupy Washington and Oregon. France has a right to Eastern Canada. Spain has a valid claim on Mexico. Indians have a claim on all of them. You see where this is going.
At some point you have to let it go and move on.
Actually, I don't disagree with any of your points.
I do object to the kneejerk reactions of some Freepers equating any land reforms anywhere in the world as the equivalent of landgrabbing here in the US.
Title to land (and other assets) was acquired in many different ways throughout the world, most of them not as legitimate as the methods used here in the US.
I'm just arguing for some flexibility with regard to other nations that have a very different history.
For instance, "private property" in Russia is largely government property that former commies handed to themselves or their cronies on their way out of office. Do they and their descendants now have an eternal moral right to its possession? I don't think so.
"For instance, "private property" in Russia is largely government property that former commies handed to themselves or their cronies on their way out of office. Do they and their descendants now have an eternal moral right to its possession? I don't think so."
Vladimir Putin agrees with you on this point, too.
I think Vlad wants to steal it for himself and his cronies.
Which was not my point.
Vladimir misses 'the good old days' and his steps are those of an unrepentant Communist.
So he wants to steal for himself and his minions.
Latin Americans (other than Costa Rica) have a nasty tendency to favor tin-pot dictators and they accept as a matter of consequence stunning levels of corruption.
Whatever noble goals Chavez may have in mind I'm sure someone will hijack the Revolution.
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