CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela is set to nationalize the companies that run some of the Caribbean nation’s main ports, the latest move by the socialist President Hugo Chavez to put key areas of the economy in state hands.
The affected ports receive many of the imports that Venezuela depends on, but do not handle vital oil shipping from the OPEC nation.
Authorities are revising the contracts of the port operators, the government’s official gazette said yesterday, and Public Works Minister Diosdado Cabello said the state would take control.
“The government understands that these are strategic, state security activities and the decision is to revert the administration that until now has been in hands of individuals,” Cabello said yesterday.
Chavez has stepped up nationalizations and pressure on his opponents in recent months, taking over oil service companies, iron works and some food factories.
