Ven. Troops occupy plants, distribute food and soda

["Fred Feldman" <ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=2067065
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 Venezuela's Chavez Firm, Troops Seize Coke Plant (excerpt)
Fri January 17, 2003 08:11 PM ET
 By Patrick Markey

CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelan troops seized control of a
bottling
affiliate of Coca-Cola Co. and raided a beer warehouse on Friday as
President
Hugo Chavez made good on his threat to get tough with a six-week opposition
strike that has disrupted fuel and food supplies.

National Guard troops wielding metal batons and firing tear gas dispersed a
small group of protesters who tried to block the entrance to Venezuela's
largest bottling plant -- Panamco's water and soft drinks facility -- in
Valencia, about 100 miles west of Caracas.

Troops drove away Coke trucks and seized crates of drinks.

They later forced their way into a warehouse of the beer and food maker
Empresas Polar, Venezuela's largest private company, after shoving managers
out into the street.

The moves were the first major action against food and beverage plants after
Chavez threatened to ease shortages by sending troops to seize manufacturing
facilities withholding products during the strike that aims to force him to
resign.

The move against private property rattled opposition leaders who accuse the
leftist leader of ruling like a dictator and fear he wants to install
Cuba-style communism in Venezuela, the world's fifth-largest oil exporter.

National Guard Gen. Luis Felipe Acosta Carles said, "We are distributing
this
product to the population because collective rights come above individual
rights."

Outraged opposition leaders said the takeover was illegal. But it was
unclear
whether the troops maintain control of the plant after hauling away
products.

"We can't allow more abuse," said Rafael Alfonzo, the anti-Chavez head of
Cavidea, the food producers alliance.



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