Reply #7: They had a contract, Chavez broke it. [View All]

[sergeiAK]

You seem to advocate taking things because Exxon made money. That's fucking retarded. Stealing from the wealthy is still theft. You advocate denying due process of law, violence, and theft. That makes you closer to Bush than you realize. Chavez too, since you're doing it "for the children". Either way, you advocate nationalization without compensation. That's theft. Theft is not ok just because you steal from the rich.

Also, due process of law. Exxon will get their day in court. Chavez will have to send a representative to testify as to his valuation of the project, then the courts can decide, and we'll have a fair decision. Again, if you don't show up, you lose.

Now, for what Chavez should've done. He could have said "no thanks, we'll build the refinery". Exxon would have left. This way Venezuela keeps 100% of the profits (minus any shipping needed), and Exxon takes a big pay cut. Chavez had them build it, promising them payment. Now he's dropped the payment after they've built it.

If you stop giving Exxon money, they stop making it. They eventually go away when they lose enough. But Chavez wanted to have his cake and eat it too. The others rolled over and took it, Exxon decided to play hardball. Chavez knew this could happen. He could have avoided giving them a penny. He decided that he needed Exxon, but didn't want to pay. They're fighting, as I'd expect any contractor that didn't get paid to do. Had he just developed the field internally, he could have kept every cent of that oil money. That's where he went wrong.