The Latin American bloc is growing closer and closer together, while expanding allies outwards. The Bloc collectively is allied to Saddam Hussein (or was), Iran, Libya, China, Russia, India and South Africa. And perhaps even worse, the Bloc is tightening into a single community, almost like the Latin American version of the European Union.
With Venezuela and Brazil leading the efforts to oppose and counter the US-proposed Free Trade of the Americas agreement, the Latin American countries are calling for "full Latin American integration" to counter US economic dominance. Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela and Chile all are participating in these talks. Brazil and Argentina are leading the effort to form a joint parliament, common currency and common policy towards international venues and organizations, to be reached by 2006, although a final agreement has not been reached. They hope for the Mercosur customs union to merge with the Andean Community, which would effectively swallow the current pro-American countries of Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru and Colombia into the bloc. Venezuela, a member of the Andean Community, is expected to lead the efforts on the Andean side.***
This production by foreign oil companies becomes more important daily; as the oil fields operated by Petroleos de Chavez continue to suffer irreversible damage, a result of their improper exploitation activities, which reduces oil and gas production. In other words, Chavez's cash cow and his control of Venezuela is now being maintained by the foreign oil companies.
These foreign oil companies with their 33 agreements, in August, were turned over to CVP (Corporacion Venezolana del Petroleo), which is now under the Energy and Mines Ministry (MEM), not PDVSA's Board of Directors.
One should take note of a very curious arrangement here. Luis Vierma, who is the president of CVP is also the vice Minister of MEM. Clearly, the supervision of the foreign oil companies has been transferred from PDVSA to the Ministry, and these companies will now be under the direct control of President Chavez, to use their royalties and payments as he pleases. More important, the legislative branch will no longer have any control over the foreign oil companies, or their remitted revenues.***