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October 24, 2006

It's the Real Thing

A quarrel that has surfaced this week between Venezuelan workers and the local subsidiary of soft drinks bottler Coca-Cola Femsa might, at first sight, appear to be nothing more than a routine labour dispute.

But, at least according to some economists, it just may be a taste of what is to come under President Hugo Chávez's recipe for "21st-century socialism".

Since Monday, hundreds of unemployed ex-contractors have blocked delivery trucks from distributing the soft drink around Venezuela in demand of what they allege is $2.8m worth of severance arrears owed to more than 10,000 former workers. Coca-Cola alleges that the protest action is "illegal".

The former Coca-Cola employees, however, are being actively encouraged in their protest by a government-backed commission from the Venezuelan legislature, which is controlled 100 per cent by government allies.

"The company should be expropriated," said Iris Valera, a pro-government deputy who is supporting the labourers, adding that Coca-Cola's four plants should be converted to produce a homespun Venezuelan brand soft drink.


Great idea.

Posted by tree hugging sister at October 24, 2006 04:19 PM

Comments

Well, expropriating private industry worked great for Castro and nobody has bothered to stop him, so why not? If I recall, Mexico did it too.

I dont' know why any company would do business in these banana republics.

Posted by: Mike Rentner at October 24, 2006 05:18 PM

"Nice little soda factory you have there, Coca-Cola. Be a shame if anything happened to it."

Hmmm, Mike's comment gave me an idea. If things keep going the way they are in Venezuala, what do you suppose the parts black market for, say 2000-2007 autos, will be in a few years?

I sense an opportunity.

Posted by: Dave E. at October 25, 2006 09:32 PM