Venezuela 'seizes' British ranch

BBC ^ | Wednesday, 23 March, 2005, 14:51 GMT | staff

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Venezuela 'seizes' British ranch

Chavez has promised a 'war' over large estates

Venezuela has declared a huge British-owned cattle ranch to be state property and handed out permits for local farmers to take over the land.

The agriculture minister held a ceremony at El Charcote ranch, saying it was officially under state control.

The state governor said 140 permits had been handed out so poor families could start work on the 32,000-acre estate.

Agroflora, the local subsidiary of British owner Vestey Group, said it would appeal against the seizure.

The firm's employees are still working on the land.

The group has operated the ranch, in central Cojedes state, for decades.

But officials said as property documents did not prove the land belonged to the group, it therefore belonged to the state.

No compensation

The government is taking action against what it calls latifundios, or large rural estates, which it says are lying idle.

Vestey denies the land is idle, and says it has complied fully with Venezuelan law.

The firm has been given two months to appeal.

It says it has documents proving the ownership of the land back to 1830.

The company also says the farm, which employs 300 workers, provides meat solely for the Venezuelan market.

'War to the death'

There is no compensation on offer for lands which are deemed to belong to the state.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says many large farms were illegally acquired.

If ownership cannot be proved by documents dating back to 1830, the land is liable to be seized.

Mr Chavez has vowed to push ahead with a "war to the death against large landed estates, regardless of who the alleged landholders are".

The National Lands Institute has taken steps towards seizing 1.48m acres already this year, it says.

[MD_Willington_1976]

Rhodesia = once known as the 'breadbasket of Africa'

Rhodies will tell you this..

Zims are too stupid to figure it out...

[Willie Green]

So-called "land reform" in New Mexico, after that state government is taken over by radicals, is the subject of my next novel.

The property of this country is absolutely concentred in a very few hands, having revenues of from half a million of guineas a year downwards. These employ the flower of the country as servants, some of them having as many as 200 domestics, not laboring. They employ also a great number of manufacturers and tradesmen, and lastly the class of laboring husbandmen. But after all there comes the most numerous of all classes, that is, the poor who cannot find work. I asked myself what could be the reason so many should be permitted to beg who are willing to work, in a country where there is a very considerable proportion of uncultivated lands? These lands are undisturbed only for the sake of game. It should seem then that it must be because of the enormous wealth of the proprietors which places them above attention to the increase of their revenues by permitting these lands to be labored. I am conscious that an equal division of property is impracticable, but the consequences of this enormous inequality producing so much misery to the bulk of mankind, legislators cannot invent too many devices for subdividing property, only taking care to let their subdivisions go hand in hand with the natural affections of the human mind. The descent of property of every kind therefore to all the children, or to all the brothers and sisters, or other relations in equal degree, is a politic measure and a practicable one. Another means of silently lessening the inequality of property is to exempt all from taxation below a certain point, and to tax the higher portions or property in geometrical progression as they rise. Whenever there are in any country uncultivated lands and unemployed poor, it is clear that the laws of property have been so far extended as to violate natural right. The earth is given as a common stock for man to labor and live on. If for the encouragement of industry we allow it to be appropriated, we must take care that other employment be provided to those excluded from the appropriation. If we do not, the fundamental right to labor the earth returns to the unemployed. It is too soon yet in our country to say that every man who cannot find employment, but who can find uncultivated land, shall be at liberty to cultivate it, paying a moderate rent. But it is not too soon to provide by every possible means that as few as possible shall be without a little portion of land. The small landholders are the most precious part of a state.

-- Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, Oct. 28, 1785 -- PROPERTY AND NATURAL RIGHT

[RichardW]

Isn't Communism wonderful? Sounds like it is time to give Chavez the Noriega treatment.

[Travis McGee]

It's certainly not a new issue, is it?

[You Dirty Rats]

Weenie Tony's government will, of course, say or do nothing.

The Falklands were and remain sovereign British territory. That's not true of Venezuela or any part of it, no matter who owns the land.

Remember that Britain itself nationalized many industries beginning after WWII.

If compensation is not paid then there is a legal claim, but that's it. Britain has no right to invade Venezuela over a property matter.

[Willie Green]

It's certainly not a new issue, is it?

No, it isn't.
I wish I was better informed on this issue as it pertains to South and Central American nations.
In general, I am under the impression that ownership of the land and productive natural resources is excessively concentrated among the extremely wealthy, elite minority -- which hinders middle class development, keeping the bulk of the people impoverished.

So I would agree with Jefferson that some kind of true land reform is necessary.

However, I would NOT trust a marxist like Chavez (or Castro) to implement such reforms fairly.

[winner3000]

I would freeze all Venezuelan assets.

[Travis McGee]

That's the great dilemna, going all the way back to the Spanish colonization of the Americas. From the start, vast county-sized tracts were given by the king to cronies as their personal property in perpetuity. Now it's coming to a head again, but as you say, we don't want a Castro-ite like Chavez doling out the land. In general, tiny family plots have proven to be financial losers; the small landholders can't afford the mechanization etc. I think we're in for another wave of neo-Marxism across Latin America. Nicaragua, Brazil, Venezuela, Equador, Bolivia are all turning socialist, which will only worsen their failing economies.

[Nowhere Man]

Well, Hugo "Mugabe" Chavez strikes again.

[JesseHousman]

Somebody should invade and take over Venezuela.

[Willie Green]

I think we're in for another wave of neo-Marxism across Latin America. Nicaragua, Brazil, Venezuela, Equador, Bolivia are all turning socialist, which will only worsen their failing economies.

The Anointed One's "plan" to avert that is to throw open our borders as a "safety valve", importing both latin American marxist poverty and banana republic plutocracy to our own nation.

[Travis McGee]

Yes, all that, plus they think they will turn into the next tier of citizens, to prop up social security 30 years from now.

[Willie Green]

Yes, all that, plus they think they will turn into the next tier of citizens, to prop up social security 30 years from now.

As long as they're siezing ownership control over real properties and natural resources, they couldn't care less about Social Security and the value of the dollar. Just like health care benefits, the transnational corporatists will simply continue to juggle the books while shifting the entire burden of responsiblity to the peons. Dubya's "privatization" plan is more about keeping the Dow Jones propped up when Boomers start cashing in their IRAs and 401-Ks, churning the market while the financial traders extract their commissions.

[OESY]

Hugo Chavez is Jimmy Carter's man in Caracas.

[OESY]

NOTABLE QUOTABLES OF HUGO CHAVEZ

By Michelle Malkin · March 20, 2005 05:43 AM

The insights of Venezuela's president Hugo Chavez, brought to you by the U.K. Times Online:


Chavez on....

Assassination: “If they kill me, there will be a really guilty party on this planet whose name is the President of the United States, George Bush”

Bush’s Administration: “It is a mafia, a true mafia of murderers”

Cuba: “I am the second Fidel Castro of Latin America”

Capitalism: “The Devil’s economic model . . . The capitalist exploitation model has destroyed oceans, entire oceans”

Saddam Hussein: “A brother”

Condoleezza Rice: “I cannot marry Condolencia (condolence), because I am much too busy. I have heard she dreams about me”

Gaddafi’s Libya: “A model of participatory democracy”

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

With those quotes , there is no doubt about where Chavez stands, thanks!

[Concentrate]

We're not going to be taking out any more oily dictators for a while. If we're concerned about national security, let's get serious about reducing our oil consumption.

Just remember: solar hot water heating for homes is years away from viability. Years in the PAST!