[Cincinatus' Wife]

Venezuela's Chavez Threatens Foes with Forex Curbs - February 4, 2003 - By Pascal Fletcher *** CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, gloating over his opponents' failure to oust him in a two-month strike, said Tuesday he would deny them access to hard currency through foreign exchange controls to be introduced this week.

"We're going to shut the door on them ... not a single dollar more for the coup mongers," left-wing populist Chavez said in a fiery speech promising a "revolutionary offensive" against his foes, who include many private businessmen.

Speaking at a ceremony to commemorate a botched coup bid he led in 1992, Chavez said foreign exchange curbs to be introduced Thursday would be administered by a loyal retired army officer, Capt. Edgar Hernandez.

Hernandez will head a currency control office set up to counter the economic damage from the nine-week-old opposition strike, which has triggered a financial crisis in the world's No. 5 oil exporter.

The government announced the controls, along with heavy budget cuts, to halt capital flight and a sharp drop in the bolivar currency caused by the grueling protest shutdown.***

[pariah]

Earlier this year cattlemen proposed forming private militias to fend off local criminals and rebels from neighboring Colombia. The idea was abandoned as President Hugo Chavez suspended the issuance of new gun licenses and threatened to jail would-be militiamen.

I note with disgust that this is also the liberal's proposed policy here is the good ol' USA.