It suddenly hit me why China is so eager to help Chavez develop the mining. he probably does care a hoot about Chavez....China is there simply to get the damn industries working properly, so they can be sure of getting they're billions of investments back.

"We are obliged to make them efficient and sustainable business and that is the great challenge (...) within the framework of socialism," he said last night the Venezuela.

He doesn't have a choice, cause he's put VZ into hock, to the Chinese, and to a lesser extent Russia. He must owe between 50 and 60 billion by now. China's also ENSURING their influence will be in that area of South America for a long, long time, keeping the US from getting in their again, no matter how any election results might change the political lanscape....the kicker is, he's doing it with the American dollar!

Pen