Chavez’s Muffler Rattling

Hugo Chavez muffler-rattled against the likes of Toyota, Ford, General Motors and Fiat in a speech to the country Thursday, attacking those companies for not sharing technology with local industry and threatening to kick them out of business if they did not comply.

The BBC:

Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez has told car companies they must share their technology with local businesses or leave the country.

Mr Chavez gave the ultimatum to Toyota, Ford, General Motors and Fiat during a public address.

If the demand isn’t met, he said: “I invite you to pack up your belongings and leave. I’ll bring in the Russians, the Belorusians, the Chinese.”

Venezuela has nationalised most of the oil, metal and coffee industries.

Read more

Flickr / AYC107

Toyota was one of the targets of Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, who criticized the automaker for not producing enough four-wheel-drive vehicles.