Chavez expropriates Owens-Illinois

Caracas, Venezuela, 25 October 2010. Venezuelan President Hugo Rafael Chavez Frias has ordered the expropriation of American company Owens-Illinois today. During a televised message to the nation, Chavez commented that an American owned company  Owens-Illinois has exploited Venezuelan  workers for many years. It has destroyed and taken the money from Venezuela, Chavez said. The expropriation is said to be an attack on natioanal burgoise that pacted with American interests. Recent nationalizations and expropiations have been said to be part of the local strategy towards the building of "XXI century Socialism". However, Venezuela remain a major importer of its own food and commercial goods. There has been failure in both boosting local production of imported food or goods and improvement in the management of recently nationalised enterprises. During the televised message, Chavez also explained the outcome of his recent trip to Russia, Belarus, Iran, Ukraine, Libya, Syria and Portugal.