Uribe, Chávez and Correa open gas pipeline

[CGowen]

The presidents of Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador, Álvaro Uribe, Hugo Chávez, and Rafael Correa Friday opened in Manaure, Goajira department, a Colombian station -called Punta Ballenas- of the Venezuela-Colombia gas pipeline built by the state oil companies of the two countries, Efe reported.

The three rulers unveiled a plate commemorating the inauguration of the pipeline, and then opened the valves that pump the gas drilled from the Colombian Caribbean to be supplied to consumers in Maracaibo, northwestern Venezuela.

"We are here to start the operations of this gas pipeline. This is not just another facility for our oil industry, but this is the first gas pipeline connecting our two countries," said Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs Rafael Ramírez.

This project "gives way to great opportunities to advance our trumpeted energy integration," he added.

Punta Ballenas is the first of the nine pumping stations in the 25" diameter, 224-kilometer pipeline, which has a maximum capacity of 500 million cubic feet of gas, said Ramírez. He added that the cost of the project was USD 467 million.

http://english.eluniversal.com/2007/10/12/en_pol_art_uribe,-chavez-and-co_12A1127199.shtml

[Peace Patriot]

1. Cooperative projects like this are going to have profound implications for

South America and for us. They would not be possible except for the Bolivarian Revolution, started in Venezuela and now spreading far and wide--with Bolivarian leftists (majorityists) elected in Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia and Argentina, and allied leftists elected in Brazil, Uruguay and Nicaragua, and to some extent Chile--and a leftist likely to be elected this year in Paraguay (Fernando Lugo, the "bishop of the poor"). The Bolivarians have goals of Latin American self-determination, regional cooperation and social justice. What is fascinating about the current project is Colombia's participation. Colombia is a Bush Cartel client state--recipient of billions of dollars in military "war on drugs" money (our tax dollars), and one of the few South American countries still playing the "free trade" game (global corporate predation). The Uribe government has been hit with a huge scandal involving its very close ties to rightwing paramilitary death squads, who have been killing peasant farmers, union organizers and political leftists, and engaging in drug trafficking. They also hatched a plot to assassinate Hugo Chavez and other leftist leaders, destabilize their countries and re-install rightwing dictatorships. Colombia is not a country that I would expect to be cooperating with Venezuela and Ecuador (Bolivarian countries). Credit is probably due to Hugo Chavez and his diplomatic efforts. He seems to have pulled Uribe away from the Bushites and the rightwing paramilitaries (who are no doubt in league with the Bush-CIA). Uribe has tried to distance himself from the plot to assassinate Chavez. Chavez has struck up a friendship with Uribe--possibly (my guess) on the basis of "Latin America for Latin Americans" (i.e., Bushites out; end U.S. interference). Uribe has asked Chavez to negotiate a hostage release with leftist guerrillas in Colombia, and possibly a peace treaty.

This must be killing the Bushites, who have tried every trick in the book to "divide and conquer" in Latin America, and have been spectacularly unsuccessful in South America, and even, to some extent, in the more Bush-friendly central American countries like Mexico (its current leadership). When Bush visited Mexico last March, I was astounded to hear the rightwing president, Felipe Calderon, publicly lecturing Bush on the sovereignty of Latin American countries, and mentioning Venezuela as an example!

Cooperative projects like this gas pipeline might affect us in several ways. One could be negative--if the global corporate predators who rule over us lose their easy exploitation of South American resources and labor--which they are, in fact, losing--they may well take it out of our hides, and probably already are doing so. As the South Americans free themselves from World Bank/IMF slavery, where are these global corporate predator financiers going to get their ungodly profits? Are we seeing the impact already in credit card usury? As the South Americans force global predator oil corporations to pay more into the public sector in South America, for extracting oil, where will THEY seek their ungodly profits? They will squeeze us more. Ultimately, the Bolivarians want a South American "Common Market" and common currency (to get off the increasingly worthless U.S. dollar). It will become a "fair trade" world for them. What will it be for us?

Well, as long as we are ruled by these global corporate predators, we are going to be the losers. South America is developing a vital and forward-looking, and very democratic, political culture--while our political culture is sick unto death with corruption and misrule. They are aiming at social justice and vibrant trade--a wise and practical combination of socialism and capitalism. What are we aiming at?

[losthills]

2. Chavez is a thug

who belongs in a prison cell right next to Bush and Cheney.

I really couldn't care what he does with his oil. We don't need it, or anyone else's oil.

Get rid of Bush, get off oil, and let the Venezuelans deal with Chavez. He's not worth arguing about...

[Peace Patriot]

3. How is Chavez a thug? Who has he bullied or killed? What crime has he committed

to merit prison? And if he's "not worth arguing about," why are you here, making these points? 53 words, my, my--to say "I really couldn't care." Do enlighten us about his crimes and his thuggery.

[CGowen]

4. Pelosi said he is a thug, but Pelosi also said "we're doing just great"

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/9/21/195547/340

Today House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi went further, calling Chavez "an everyday thug."

"What do you see as your greatest mistake?" asked one reporter.

Pelosi smiled. "Why don't you tell me?" she proposed. She smiled again, then laughed. " 'Cause I think we're doing just great." She laughed again.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/09/AR2007100902006.html