Putin Takes Gas Rich Bolivia

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While in Chile he was not as successful as expected, rather being set to compromise with Bush there, Putin takes Chile instead.

The political change in Bolivia will most likely not harm Repsol and Total's Latin American business.

~Vera

See articles at the link below:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VladimirPutinRoundTable/message/289

Bubbling crude plans by the Bush team aimed at Venezuela's Chávez

November 29th, 2005 11:26 AM

Heading SouthBubbling crude plans by the Bush team aimed at Venezuela's Chávez
by James Ridgeway

With Iraqi oil firmly under his control, the president can now turn to Venezuela and Hugo Chávez, who the Bush administration says is out to make himself into a new Simón Bolívar. A recent report called "Crude Designs," by a British group, says Western oil companies are poised to take control of Iraqi oil after next month's election. The Iraqis will be left with 17 out of some 80 oil fields.

Controlling Iraqi oil will help the U.S. in dominating—at least for a little while longer—world oil. But our overall goal is to become less dependent on the Middle East and other faraway sources and develop petroleum resources nearer to home. Venezuela is a prime target since it not only has a lot of oil, but over the years has placidly allowed us to take what we want.

George W. Bush's dislike of Chávez is no secret, and the Venezuelan leader's recent move to provide American poor in New York and Boston with cheap oil comes as a slap in the face for both Bush and the international industry. The Iraq war was meant to not only give the U.S. access to Iraqi oil, but also to insert direct U.S. involvement in the dealings of OPEC.

Now Venezuela, a leading OPEC member, is mounting a counterattack in U.S. markets. More than that, Chávez is widening the scope of his influence, making a pipeline deal with Argentina, proffering oil to Cuba, discussing ventures in Nicaragua (where Daniel Ortega is looking to regain power), and discussing joint deals with the Chinese. Some are beginning to think of him as a new Bolívar, the hero who liberated much of Latin America from Spain.

Congress has already beaten back one attempt by the Chinese to buy Unocal and enter the U.S. market. The U.S. is warily watching Chinese moves to gain control over Canada's oil sands, a future source of oil. China, now the second-largest oil consumer in the world (the U.S. is first), is expanding its fuel purchases as its economy grows. It is not inconceivable that China will end up threatening U.S. oil hegemony in Latin America. China is becoming a significant factor in American politics; it already owns substantial chunks of the ballooning U.S. debt.

And while we have been fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Chinese have been grabbing more Caspian Sea oil and laying plans for a gas pipeline to run from Turkmenistan, which has the biggest pool of natural gas anywhere in the world, to Shanghai.

With all this going on, Bush must be tempted to end his second term in a blaze of glory by defending the Monroe Doctrine and taking out Chávez in the name of national security—especially because he could tell Americans who are angry at higher and higher fuel prices that getting rid of Chávez is in the national interest.

Venezuela agrees to buy Spanish warships

Sun, 11 Dec 2005 00:15:47 -0600

Over U.S. objections, Venezuela purchased eight frigates and 12 military aircraft worth about $2 billion.BY PETER WILSONBloomberg News

CARACAS - Venezuela, the world's fifth-largest oil exporter, signed agreements for the purchase of $2 billion worth of Spanish military transport aircraft and frigates over U.S. objections.

Venezuela purchased eight frigates and 12 military aircraft, Defense Minister Orlando Maniglia said during televised signing ceremonies. Maniglia didn't give a value of the sale. The Financial Times said Nov. 25 that the sale is worth about $2 billion.

Venezuela's military purchases have been questioned by the United States, which has said the buildup poses a threat to stability in the Western Hemisphere. Since March, Venezuela has purchased $240 million in Russian arms, including helicopters and rifles.

''This will be a point of contention between Madrid and Washington,'' said Patrick Esteruelas, an analyst with New York-based research and consulting firm Eurasia Group. The agreement ``will also help Spanish firms, like Repsol YPF, receive preferential access to Venezuela's oil reserves.''

Spain will sell Venezuela four frigates for coastal defense, as well as four ocean-going frigates, Spain Defense Minister Jose Bono said. The country's state-owned Navantia shipyard will construct the frigates, Bono said.

The contracts for the 12 aircraft, which include 10 transport planes and two maritime surveillance craft, was signed with Spain's Construcciones Aeronáuticas.
Bono defended Spain's decision to sell weapons to Venezuela. Previous Venezuelan purchases of Russian military helicopters and rifles drew criticism from U.S. Defense Minister Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.

''These are not arms to be used for attacks,'' Bono said. ``These are for self-defense.''
Venezuela President Hugo Chávez, elected in 1998 and reelected in 2000, has sought to build up his country's armed forces, which previously relied mostly on U.S. weaponry.

''This sale is in line with Venezuela's efforts to modernize many of branches in its armed forces,'' Esteruelas said. ``Many of these purchases are designed to move away from equipment that was almost uniquely sourced to the U.S.''

Chávez, 51, has repeatedly accused the United States of seeking his assassination or overthrow. The former paratrooper said during the signing ceremonies that the South American country had the right to purchase weapons for its own self-defense without accounting to anyone.
''We used to be a colony of the North American empire,'' Chávez said. ``Now we're free.''