Hugo eyes NGOs' money, loves Lula and snubs Ken

'Meddling' charities may be forced to leave (emphasis added)

HUGO CHÁVEZ is preparing a broad clampdown on charities and pressure groups working in Venezuela, echoing draconian measures imposed by Russia earlier this year.

Under the International Co-operation Law, currently in Congress, the Venezuelan President will take control of foreign funding for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and force them to open their files. Groups will also have to register with the Government and get permission to operate.

If approved "there will be no NGOs in Venezuela," said Liliana Ortega, of Cofavic, the human rights group. "There will only be groups permitted by the Government."

At the same time, Hugo told London's Ken Livingstone to stay away from Venezuela, so Ken went to Cuba instead. The change of plans cost Ken (and London taxpayers) some $70,000, but Ken thinks that's a modest amount.

The first house I bought cost about that much. It was a modest house.

Aleksander Boyd, who sued Livingstone when Livingstone called Aleksander a terrorist for criticizing Chavez, wants to know how much has Ken Livingstone wasted in legal fees? A modest amount, surely.

President Lula of Brazil, however, is warmly welcomed by Hugo and anoints Chavez, while corruption in Venezuela is shown worse than in Brazil. At least Lula wants to spur economic growth in his country.

There's plenty of money involved between Brazil and Venezuela: Venezuela says joint oil project with Brazil to cost US$9 billion, while Hugo's put the squeeze on the foreign oil companies:

Separately, Venezuelan tax authorities has been auditing dozens of private oil companies, including those operating in the Orinoco, for taxes that have allegedly gone unpaid.

On Tuesday, the tax agency billed Chevron Corp. US$4 million (€3.1 million) and ConocoPhillips US$7 million (€5.5 million) in taxes that it said the U.S. companies owed from 2002 and 2003 for their Hamaca heavy oil upgrading project.

Money makes the world go around.

No word on the Chinese Embassy heist, though.

Elsewhere in the Caribbean, Is Ortega on the Road of Chavismo?

(technorati tags Venezuela Hugo Chavez Ken Livingstone Lula Brazil Brasil)