Wednesday 24th

Maza Zavala asks Chávez to put nationalization in order
Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV) director Domingo Maza Zavala urged Wednesday the Government of President Hugo Chávez to follow in an orderly manner the legal process for nationalization of major telecommunications company Cantv and No. 1 power supplier in the country.

In Venezuela, there is a "rule of law, which means that there is a constitutional and legal procedure for expropriation in the public interest, if any," Maza Zavala told Unión Radio, as quoted by Efe.

"For this reason, I think authorities should act wisely to order the process" towards nationalization of Cantv and La Electricidad de Caracas.

US Verizon has the majority control over Cantv, privatized in 1991, whereas global corporation AES owns La Electricidad de Caracas.

The "mess" in nationalization of Cantv, where Spanish Telefónica holds 6 percent of shares, and La Electricidad de Caracas, "could result into chaos in these sectors," the official added.

Nationalization Law is to reinforce nationalization of Cantv
Parliamentarian Carlos Escarrá, a member of the Presidential Council for Constitutional Reform, said nationalization of Venezuela's largest private telecommunications firm Cantv will have to wait until the Nationalization Law is passed.

The Nationalization Law is comprised in a package of legal instruments the Venezuelan Executive Branch plans to enact under an Enabling Law granting President Hugo Chávez special ruling powers.

While he declined to elaborate on the mechanisms provided for in the Nationalization Law, he claimed the instrument would be in force within 30 days. Escarrá said this regulation is to make Cantv nationalization bullet-proof, which is prohibited under current laws.

Thursday 25th

Venezuela orders takeover of private airport
Diosdado Cabello, Governor of Miranda state, Wednesday ordered expropriation of Oscar Machado Zuloaga private airport.

"We shall perform and meet our obligations" at the Governor's Office, Cabello stressed. He claimed that the move responded to the need to create an international airport alternative to Simón Bolívar International Airport.

"The airport shall become a space for public service and will no longer be at the service of a group of privileged people, as it is now."

Oscar Machado Zuloaga Airport, in the outskirts of Caracas, is currently an airport for instrumental basic transportation, under the standards of the US Federal Aviation Agency.

The landing strip of the so-called Caracas Airport is only 2,000 m long and 30 m wide.

Ministry of Finance rules out confiscation in nationalization process
Venezuela will not resort to confiscations under a plan to nationalize private companies operating in strategic sectors, Thursday said the Minister of Finance Rodrigo Cabezas, a few days following President Hugo Chávez' instructions to take over telecoms firm Cantv without paying investors, Reuters reported.

The official said the Venezuelan State is to abide by the laws, and dismissed claims that plans to nationalize telecoms, energy and oil private companies may ignite chaos in Venezuela.

"This process of nationalization will be advanced by respecting the constitutional rules. Nobody has talked about confiscating any firm," Cabezas stressed.

Cabezas said that no other domestic or foreign private companies would be hit by similar moves.

Friday 25th

Health Ministry takes the issue with nationalization of private medical care
The Health Ministry is not thinking about nationalizing private health centers and the government alleged attempts in this regard are out of the question, said Health Vice-Minister Julio César Alviárez.

The high-ranking official viewed the idea as "absurd" because the Ministry is rather focusing on reinforcement of the public health care by means of Mission Barrio Adentro III, official news agency ABN reported.