VENEZUELA

greenleft.org: VENEZUELA: The other war for oil

Reading the mainstream press over the last month, one could be forgiven for believing that Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez has become so unpopular that his government is facing a revolt by the country's workers.

However, at the centre of recent events in Venezuela is the battle for control of the largest oil fields outside the Middle East. On one side is the wealthy capitalist elite, which has enriched itself with oil profits for decades; on the other is the Chavez government and its working-class supporters, who hope to use oil revenue to eradicate the poverty that afflicts 80% of the population. This is the axis around which an even broader battle is being waged — the battle over which class will rule the country.