It seems to me that a lot of the recent emphasis on labour problems and "bad employers" coming out of Venezuela is being designed to deflect the extremely poor relations which seems to be worsening between the government owned companies like the CVG and the labour unions.

The recent attacks against local subcontracors is part of the pattern. Reading between the lines it seems that the sub-contractors are not being paid by the CVG and the nationalized enterprises and as a result they are feeling some pain which would almost certainly affect their ability to pay their workers and fulfil their contracts.

The Chavez administration has undoubtedly being strirring up problems with workers within the multi-nationals operations to create support by the local population for the nationalizations that followed. Unfortunately when they have taken over it seems that the government managers have been unable to fulfil the promises of better conditions and in most cases jobs have been lost and payments delayed.

One thing Chavez seems not to have a handle on is history. None of the countries he holds up as shining examples of communist economies could be considered to be a success. Russia's socialist economy collapsed, China is increasingly turning to private investment and Cuba has been a basket case for over 40 years. Even places like Mexico which nationalised their oil industry many years ago no find that government management has failed them and the assets have been ruined.