Comments on: The true measure of Venezuela’s water and electricity problems http://devilsexcrement.com/2009/11/08/the-true-measure-of-venezuelas-water-and-electricity-problems/ Observations focused on the problems of an underdeveloped country, Venezuela, with some serendipity about the world (orchids, techs, science, investments, politics) at large. A famous Venezuelan, Juan Pablo Perez Alfonzo, referred to oil as the devil's excrement. For countries, easy wealth appears indeed to be the sure path to failure. Venezuela might be a clear example of that. Mon, 28 May 2012 08:04:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: JuanCristobal http://devilsexcrement.com/2009/11/08/the-true-measure-of-venezuelas-water-and-electricity-problems/#comment-3164 Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:02:23 +0000 http://devilsexcrement.com/?p=7214#comment-3164 ow,
Russia has the same cost “distortions” as Venezuela, and yet our plants still manage to be twice as expensive as Russian plants. You’re free to justify the unjustifiable, but don’t try to pass it on as serious, fair-minded analysis.

]]> By: island canuck http://devilsexcrement.com/2009/11/08/the-true-measure-of-venezuelas-water-and-electricity-problems/#comment-3162 Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:17:44 +0000 http://devilsexcrement.com/?p=7214#comment-3162 “Chavez has said that US access to the Colombian bases poses a direct threat to his oil-exporting country.

But Washington and Bogota say the deal is aimed solely to create a joint force to fight drug cartels.”

Isn’t that the same thing??

]]> By: Susan http://devilsexcrement.com/2009/11/08/the-true-measure-of-venezuelas-water-and-electricity-problems/#comment-3160 Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:35:27 +0000 http://devilsexcrement.com/?p=7214#comment-3160 Take a look at this from Aljazeera.org
Venezuela’s president has told his armed forces to “prepare for war”, saying a military pact between neighbouring Colombia and the US could set the stage for an invasion.

The comments by Hugo Chavez at the weekend were prompted by the presence of US troops gaining access to Colombian military bases.

Colombia has responded by saying it will protest to the UN security council and the Organisation of American States.

Chavez’s comments also sparked clashes on Sunday on the Colombia-Venezuela border, where Colombians fought with Venezuelan border guards who responded by firing tear gas.

“The best way to avoid war is preparing for it”

Hugo Chavez

Chavez has said that US access to the Colombian bases poses a direct threat to his oil-exporting country.

But Washington and Bogota say the deal is aimed solely to create a joint force to fight drug cartels.
s.

]]> By: Otro Roberto http://devilsexcrement.com/2009/11/08/the-true-measure-of-venezuelas-water-and-electricity-problems/#comment-3156 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:07:01 +0000 http://devilsexcrement.com/?p=7214#comment-3156 Miguel,

regarding the question that closes your post.

I believe that you should start talking about the involution rather than the so-called revolution. In such a case you can talk about a real thing.

]]> By: Miguel Octavio http://devilsexcrement.com/2009/11/08/the-true-measure-of-venezuelas-water-and-electricity-problems/#comment-3155 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:50:07 +0000 http://devilsexcrement.com/?p=7214#comment-3155 ow: The Iberdrola contract is definitely expensive per MW, it is not clear why. Such contracts shuld have clauses on inflation and devaluatons, after all, these things are not new to Venezuela. That is the problem of not calling publicly for bids for these huge projects, there is no transparency and no disclosure.

]]> By: GeronL http://devilsexcrement.com/2009/11/08/the-true-measure-of-venezuelas-water-and-electricity-problems/#comment-3149 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:13:45 +0000 http://devilsexcrement.com/?p=7214#comment-3149 Yes, I was being sarcastic.

]]> By: GeronL http://devilsexcrement.com/2009/11/08/the-true-measure-of-venezuelas-water-and-electricity-problems/#comment-3148 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:13:23 +0000 http://devilsexcrement.com/?p=7214#comment-3148 I guess Chavez needs to spends a trillion dollars he doesn’t have on infrastructure. That’ll do it.

]]> By: ow http://devilsexcrement.com/2009/11/08/the-true-measure-of-venezuelas-water-and-electricity-problems/#comment-3146 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:11:30 +0000 http://devilsexcrement.com/?p=7214#comment-3146 Glad you explained why costs of foriegn financed projects are so high in Venezuela – the people at Caracas Chronicles don’t seem to get that and hence don’t understand why it costs so much in foriegn currency terms to build a plant in Venezuela.

So they assume money is being stolen. Now, it may be that money is being stolen. But that isn’t the principal problem. The great majority of Venezuela’s oil generated resources aren’t being stolen, they are being wasted in plain sight.

]]> By: Gringo http://devilsexcrement.com/2009/11/08/the-true-measure-of-venezuelas-water-and-electricity-problems/#comment-3145 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:50:25 +0000 http://devilsexcrement.com/?p=7214#comment-3145 Re Chavez beating the war drum against the US: didn’t President Garcia of Peru point out in some regional meeting that Chavez sells his oil to his archenemy?

Just like Chavez beat the war drums in March of last year after the FARC’s #2 bought the farm in Ecuador, only to have the tanks get caught in traffic jams on the way to the border.

Chavez figures someone may believe him. Maybe he believes it himself. In a sense he does believe it himself, in that he considers his long term war with the US much more important than a trivial matter of electricity. After all, he does see himself in a long term war against the US, and has accumulated- or better said paid for – allies throughout the hemisphere in support of that long term war. He has devoted much more energy to that than to domestic issues.

In one sense, Obama and Chavez are mirror images of each other regarding foreign policy. Obama considers foreign policy a distraction from achieving his domestic goals. Chavez views domestic policy as a distraction from advancing his foreign policy goals.

Which may explain why he responds to a domestic crisis in electricity by beating the war drums. It is almost as if he is saying, “Why do you have to bring up this trivial issue of electricity when I need to focus my energy on Honduras etc.? Of course electricity is a trivial matter. After all, I get electricity any time I turn on a switch. “

]]> By: GWEH http://devilsexcrement.com/2009/11/08/the-true-measure-of-venezuelas-water-and-electricity-problems/#comment-3144 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:30:56 +0000 http://devilsexcrement.com/?p=7214#comment-3144 correction: for a living

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