CJ...I was just going to go to Venezuelanalysis..

If you read the following from this article....more than one writer has paraphrased this.

In addition to closing down illegal mining operations that smuggle resources out of the country, the government is considering revoking mining concessions of national and multinational companies that destroy the environment and exploit workers, Chave said.

So here the writer is mentioning mining concessions, naming them 'National and Multinational' companies. Can someone tell me who these holders of mining concessions are, that are actively destroying the enviroment, and exploiting the workers?

“They take the gold and diamonds out of the country, without paying taxes. They contaminate the water, the land. The workers there are slaves. If we are going exploit these minerals all of this will have to be nationalized, recuperated and the concessions that damage the environment will have to be ended,” he added.

Then he is quoted as saying that they ( and the writer is inferring that he is talking about the National and International Companies) smuggle the gold and diamonds out of the country, pay no taxes, contaminate the water and land, enslave the workers.

Now what I am questioning here, is this the writer mixing up different parts of Chavez's speach/broadcast? Because the words are the same as what he uses in describing the 'Mafias', who are enslaving workers from other countries. Is this maybe Chavez is trying to make any Company with a concession look like they have been doing what in fact the illegals were doing, to justify taking over concession? Who are all these concession holders anyway? Are there many? Are there any that are actively working?

I think whoever transcribed Chavez's Sunday Broadcast, has either misinterpreted Chavez, or got it mixed up when they put it too paper.

I have seen this now in several news articles....I'd like to get it straight.

Pen