Hugo Chavez Expropriates Caribbean Island Mansions And Yachts

Venezuela President Hugo Chavez announced on television over the weekend that he plans to expropriate the mansions on Los Rocques, a beautiful Caribbean archipelago off his country's northern coast, and convert them into affordable hotels for domestic tourists.

“The upper-class bourgeoisie privatized all of that and that’s what we are going to expropriate,” said Chavez, who was speaking on the program Dando y Dando.

According to VenezualaAnalysis.com, Chavez also stated that he plans to expropriate yachts from the wealthy and use them to give sightseeing tours. This could give the socialist a pretty respectable fleet.

Though Los Rocques have been protected sine the 1970s, the Venezuelan government had looked the other way as vacation homes were constructed. Now Chavez will likely capitalize on this oversight rather than returning the islands to their natural state. The islands have long been popular with divers and snorkelers and boast swathes of white sand beach and nearly untouched jungle, but as The Financial Times points out, Venezuela has been struggling to attract foreign tourists.

The country’s high crime rates and inevitably contrarian foreign policies -– not to mention Chavez’s often bizarre rhetoric -– seem to have dissuaded many people from heading to a country that boasts tremendous natural beauty.

Political observers expect more crowd-pleasing expropriations as Chavez gears up for an election next year so now is probably not the time to be buying a summer place in Maracaibo.

Comments

[excellent chef]

04:51 PM on 10/12/2011

Exactly like what his buddy, mad dog Gaddafi, did to the Libyan population 40 years ago... rob the rich. There ought to be an international law against these scoundrels.

[djh6721]

02:39 PM on 10/12/2011

The hardships of being rich

[Jay818]

01:41 PM on 10/12/2011

venezuela already has some of the most beautiful women in the world.....I would say on a list, they would be top two, if not top on the list....so, affordable hotels too? wow...

[abudotcom]

12:49 PM on 10/12/2011

Mr Chavez is Spreading the Wealth . Sounds familiar....

[Jay818]

01:43 PM on 10/12/2011

well if you read the article, you would know that the houses being built in the first place was a result of corruption since the island itself has been a protected natural habitat...so rather, than just tear them down and/or allow the people that built them when they weren't supposed to, he is doing the smart thing for his country....not for a select few that are well off, but for his country....he is going to recycle them into revenue building assets..

[amConcerned]

03:21 PM on 10/12/2011

As for corruption… the process was then the same as it is now. The crux is Chavez disputes any prior government's authority to grant required permits.

In Venezuela there are restrictions on private ownership of land in National Parks. It’s not illegal to own (a slightly different form than outright ownership) and build on the land if the proper permits are obtained. In the 1970’s the permits were obtained and in some cases the land was purchased outright prior to it being declared a National Park.

[crestmia]

12:26 PM on 10/12/2011

Will the CIA please do something right and make Chavez just disappear !!
This "Nut Case" is embarrasing to the existense of the human race.

[Steven Schwartz2012]

01:25 PM on 10/12/2011

You mean assassinate another democratically elected head of state in S. America.
Yes that's worked so well in the past, get a clue. The people will throw him out eventually.
The pendulum always swings to the left after it gets pushed to far to the right, always, but eventually it will settle in the middle. He has a 40 percent approval rating now, down from 70, 3 years ago.

[Jay818]

01:44 PM on 10/12/2011

really? He does what is best for his country? why would we and who are we to get rid of someone, just because we dont agree with them...isnt that what happened to two of our greatest presidents? Lincoln and Kennedy?

[mapitravel22]

12:08 PM on 10/12/2011

The country’s high crime rates and inevitably contrarian foreign policies...http://www.mythicaltrailsperu.com

[BlackRabbit]

10:33 AM on 10/12/2011

Think of how much better the Bolivarian revolution will proceed when its leaders are able to relax in these confiscated mansions. The proletariat should rejoice.