Venezuela requests help from U.S. senator

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Houston Chronicle/Bloomberg News

Feb. 15, 2008, 10:44PM
Energy
Venezuela requests help from U.S. senator
Ambassador asks Lugar to get freeze set aside in Exxon Mobil case

By JOE CARROLL
Bloomberg News

Venezuela's ambassador to the U.S. has asked Sen. Richard Lugar to press Exxon Mobil Corp. to drop legal measures that have frozen $12 billion in assets worldwide.

"Through tactics that can only be compared with the very discredited strategy of pre-emptive war, Exxon Mobil has clearly violated the terms of the arbitration process," Bernardo Alvarez, Venezuela's ambassador to the U.S., said in a letter to the Indiana Republican that was released by the embassy Friday. Lugar is the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

At issue are court orders that Exxon Mobil, the world's largest oil company, obtained in four countries freezing more than $12 billion in Venezuelan bank accounts and properties. The orders were part of Exxon Mobil's effort to get compensation in arbitration for last year's seizure of a Venezuelan oil field by the government of President Hugo Chavez.

Alvarez described Exxon Mobil's demand for $12 billion "clearly absurd," given the size of the company's investment in the disputed Cerro Negro oil project. In private discussions prior to the court orders, Exxon Mobil's demand never exceeded $5 billion, the ambassador said.



Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/5546659.html

[pjt7]

1. Senator Lugar (R)

Seems like a good man to me, I believe Barack has a very friendly working relationship with him.

[flashl]

2. When first reading about the Exxon win in court it remind me of the story below ...

“Vulture Fund” Company Seeks $40 Million Payment from Zambia on $4 Million Debt

“Vulture fund” companies buy up the debt of poor countries at cheap prices, and then demand payments much higher than the original amount of the debt, often taking poor countries to court when they cannot afford to repay. Investigative journalist Greg Palast reports on one company trying to collect $40 million from the government of Zambia after buying its debt for $4 million.

NPR

[Peace Patriot]

3. There are some words missing from this sentence....

"The orders were part of Exxon Mobil's effort to get compensation in arbitration for last year's seizure of a Venezuelan oil field by the government of President Hugo Chavez." --Houston Chronicle

Let me just fill them in...

"The orders were part of Exxon Mobil's STRATEGY OF ECONOMIC WARFARE AGAINST VENEZUELA, PART OF WHICH IS AN effort to get UNFAIR compensation in arbitration THAT EXXON MOBILE WALKED OUT OF, BUT WHICH FRANCE'S TOTAL, NORWAY'S STATOIL, BRITISH BP, CONOCO AND EVEN CHEVRON FOUND REASONABLE--A 60% CUT FOR VENEZUELA--for last year's seizure of a Venezuelan (VENEZUELA'S OWN) oil field by the DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED AND HUGELY POPULAR government of President Hugo Chavez WHICH IS USING OIL PROFITS TO BENEFIT THE POOR."

Lots of words left out, in fact. Exxon Mobile--which recently reported the highest profits of any U.S. corporation, ever--is literally taking food out of the mouths of poor Venezuelan children, to pad their ungodly wealth.

And the OTHER part of Exxon Mobile's strategy can be found here... (if you read a bit between the lines)...

"The Smart Way to Beat Tyrants Like Chávez," by Donald Rumsfeld, 12/1/07
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/30/AR2007113001800.html

Donald Rumsfeld first of all recommends economic warfare against Venezuela--which he no doubt advised Exxon Mobile to initiate, to destabilize the country, cause turmoil and civil disorder (which rightwing groups, funded by Bush/USAID-NED and covert budgets will gladly foment), to prepare the ground for another coup attempt. He also urges us to get rid of any remaining "checks and balances" in our own government (i.e., Congress), so the U.S. can "act swiftly" in support of "friends and allies" in South America (i.e., fascist thugs planning coups.)

So there you have the whole picture: monstrous entities of "organized money" (as FDR called it) target the third world economy, and bring ruination on the poor, and the U.S. uses U.S. taxpayer money for political and military warfare in support of rich fascist elites who will set up a torturing, murdering government to serve the interests of monstrous "organized money" (Exxon Mobile).

-----------------------


I don't particularly understand Venezuela's appeal to a Republican, Sen. Lugar. What have the Republicans ever done, but fund coup attempt after coup attempt in Venezuela, since it elected a leftist (majorityist) government? But perhaps Sen. Lugar is himself beginning to think of Bush as "the devil." (--and may even agree with Chavez ally, Rafael Correa, president of Ecuador, who said, of Chavez's remark, that it was "an insult to the devil.")

Lugar? Got any clues on that, Judi?

[Judi Lynn]

5. He just shook his finger at Venezuela on the 13th, with an odd warning to play ball with Exxon:

Press Release of Senator Lugar
Lugar Warns Venezuela on Oil Cut-off

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Today U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, made the following statement in response to threats made by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to cut-off oil shipments to the United States and the February 12, 2008 declaration that Venezuela would halt shipments to Exxon refineries.

“I urge the government of Venezuela to maintain this discussion within the legal framework that ExxonMobil and Venezuela’s state-run oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA) chose to resolve their differences. I encourage them to resolve this dispute without further disruption to global oil markets. Stability in oil supplies being traded freely in the global marketplace is vital to the interests of both importing countries and exporting countries,” Lugar said.

“The consequences of Venezuela no longer being seen as a reliable trading partner could be catastrophic for its domestic production, particularly as it attempts to develop technically-challenging heavy oil reserves. Even more importantly, the people of Venezuela could suffer tremendously and its economy could be crippled if oil revenues are lost. This was highlighted in the Government Accountability Office (GAO) report I requested three years ago.”

Senator Lugar requested in November 2004 that the Government Accountability Office examine the prospects for a Venezuelan shut-off of oil exports to the United States and the United States government capacity to respond. The report was released June 27, 2006, and a copy is available at: http://lugar.senate.gov/energy/venezuela/

# # #

http://lugar.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=292871&

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beyond that, here's a section of a "speech" he gave in 2004 which indicates he has been spewing the perverse _Bush position on Latin America at every turn. Really twisted! I don't think any appeal to him as ranking Republican in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is going to be treated honorably!

~snip~
In our neighborhood of countries, democracy’s friends have been worried by developments in Venezuela, where political conflict threatens democracy and the rule of law. In May, Venezuelans validated the necessary signatures to trigger a recall referendum on President Chavez. It is important that the democratic mechanisms in the Venezuelan Constitution be followed. I was pleased to learn that the Organization of American States and the Atlanta-based Carter Center plan to continue work in Venezuela until the recall referendum is held.

Venezuela is not the only place in the region where democracy is being tested. Earlier this year, Haiti’s toxic mix of abject poverty and political violence created a climate of fear and near anarchy that led to President Aristide’s departure. Last fall in Bolivia, months of street protests by indigenous groups drove President Sanchez de Lozada from office. More than two years ago in Argentina, deadly riots amid the financial crisis forced out President de la Rua. And, in January 2000, a group of disgruntled army officers and indigenous protestors forced Ecuadorian President Mahuad from office before he could finish his term.
(snip/...)

http://lugar.senate.gov/press/record.cfm?id=222902

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Looks as if they're all living in an alternative universe, doesn't it? Christ. Apparently people like Lugar think they can expect their constituents to simply take their word for things.

[MasonJar]

4. Exxon is a parasite, spreading venom throughout the world.

[Olney Blue]

K+R

[Olney Blue]

6. K+R

[Olney Blue]

7. K+R

[Mik T]

8. Lugar is big on senate foreign relations committee

He used to be head of it now I think he's whip.

He treads a fine line because I think he is aware that Venezuela and the USA have a mutually benificial relationship in regards to us buying their oil.

He also seems to feel that the Chavez govt is unstable.

I think Venezuela is appealing to Lugar because Lugar is a pragmatist and he knows it would be the death of the repug party if gas went up to 5$ a gallon right before the election.

[Mik T]

9. At least Lugar's name is not on this list

http://www.campaignmoney.com/political/committees/exxon-mobil-corporation-political-action-committee-exxonmobil-pac.asp?cycle=08

It's all of the people exxon gave money to this year for their campaigns

[Peace Patriot]

10. Fascinating list! Thanks! A-a-a-a-all those Repukes! The list goes on and on

dibbying up Exxon Mobile's half a mil. Dems very few and far between--Steny Hoyer, Mary Landreau...

But yer right, Lugar nowhere to be found. So he is not directly in Exxon Mobile's pocket (IF he was running in '06. Was he? He wouldn't be on the list if he wasn't running that year), but there are many other ways. In fact, the best global corporate predator tools probably try to stay real clean looking.

Anyway, Lugar's bullshit about Venezuela leads me to doubly wonder, why did Venezuela appeal to him?

Of course, among Repukes it might be considered sane, moderate policy just to recognize the reality that we import oil from Venezuela and maybe should keep that relationship as smooth as possible? Bushites aren't into reality, obviously. They've done everything in their power to antagonize the Chavez government and its many supporters (inluding other So. American leaders). Same with Iran, and Iraq. Insane policy. Criminally insane.

So maybe this is the deal. Lugar doesn't like Rumsfeld and his war madness, and Venezuela knows this.