Good points MOM. These were Marshalls words not mine but another interesting take on this would be that maybe Vz were taken by surprise but they(RML) has the "Russian factor" in thier favour imo and would be more likely to pull something like this off anyway. Plus we don't know how all this went down in detail anyway.

Just look at what they get away with regarding the press. We should get a gringo company to spout off in Venezuela like they do and see how fast the hammer comes down. My opinion says the Placer Dome thing has put these clauses in and Chavez's embarassment over it won't happen again. Mind you I can't see why he hasn't embarassed himself out of power by now, LOL.