Bolivia: Gas grab 'just the start'

source

Seems like Bolivian President Evo Morales is taking over control of the gas fields. Foreign companies may be expelled.

Bolivian President Evo Morales ordered the military to occupy nation's natural gas fields Monday after nationalizing the industry and threatening to expel foreign companies that do not recognize state control.

"This is just the start ... tomorrow or the day after it will be mining, then the forestry sector, and eventually all the natural resources for which our ancestors fought," Morales told a jubilant crowd in La Paz's main plaza.

Gotta watch this one and see what happens.

Perhaps the only real "grab" that has been going on is the one made by the foreign companies thanks to supine and compliant governments in Sth America?

It also seems Bolivia is not alone down there in wanting a fairer share of her own natural wealth.

Each to their own, I suppose. If they want nationalised industries, then fair play to them. It's their country.

I'm sure there will be some on here more than happy to slam Bolivia as socialist/pinko-commie/castro bum buddy or whatever, but the people voted for this, so let them do it.

As it stands, nationlaised industries in developing nations are far better than privatised, for-profit indutries. It allows the Government control over the economic and social development, rather than leaving it down to "market-forces"...

Originally posted by sminkeypinkey
Perhaps the only real "grab" that has been going on is the one made by the foreign companies thanks to supine and compliant governments in Sth America?

It also seems Bolivia is not alone down there in wanting a fairer share of her own natural wealth.

Giving 50% of all of the gas the private companies produce to the Bolivian Government is 'grabbing'?
I don't think so.

I do think that having to give up 82% of the gas you produce is grabbing.

I think it will hurt Bolivia in the long run because, once low supples are less of a problem, companies will choose to do business in countries where they can keep more of what they produce.

Actually, Iran in the early 1950's was in the same process of nationalizing their oil
supply .. It actually makes sense, as any natural resource belongs to the country
in which it exists...

Iran was destabilized at that time, and the Shah of Iran (Palavi) was placed back in
power as he was friendly to the Strategic Interests of the UK and United States ..

The current Oil future's price is up at $72.00+ per barrel, and it seems primarily due
to the growing demand by China on existing refinery capacity, and also the current
move by Nigiera, Bolivia, and Venezuela to nationalize the oil resources within their
countries....

Supply of Oil to the U.S. is also being impacted by the fact that Saudi Arabia recently
signed an agreement to supply oil to India and China, which translates into further reduction in oil availability to the U.S. ..

Radiotrish

Originally posted by valkeryie
source

Seems like Bolivian President Evo Morales is taking over control of the gas fields. Foreign companies may be expelled.

Bolivian President Evo Morales ordered the military to occupy nation's natural gas fields Monday after nationalizing the industry and threatening to expel foreign companies that do not recognize state control.

"This is just the start ... tomorrow or the day after it will be mining, then the forestry sector, and eventually all the natural resources for which our ancestors fought," Morales told a jubilant crowd in La Paz's main plaza.

Gotta watch this one and see what happens.