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Yesterday Hugo Chavez threatened to stop selling oil to European countries if they apply a new ruling on illegal immigrants:
European Union lawmakers ruled on Wednesday that illegal immigrants can be detained for up to 18 months and face a reentry ban of up to five years.
According to the BBC, the law, which could come into force in 2010,
will oblige EU members to choose between issuing residency permits to the estimated half a million illegal immigrants who enter each year, or returning them to their country of origin.
In addition to threatening to stop oil sales, Chavez, who has nationalized several industries in Venezuela, also threatened to expel EU businesses out of the country, warning he would draw up a list of their businesses.
It didn't take long for Bolivia and Ecuador to echo Chavez's words. Both countries are closely aligned with Chavez.
In Bolivia, Evo Morales (h/t the Baron) called for Africa and Latin America to mobilize against the EU directive. Ecuador's Rafael Correa called for "a joint response by Latin American countries."
Paraguay', Fernando Lugo, whose electoral campaign was subsidized by Chavez, also joined the trio.
Hearing that their oil supply might be reduced, the EU says Chavez misunderstood the new migration law. Spain's Rodriguez Zapatero volunteered to explain the new law.
With all his tough talk, Chavez might have fuelled the growing rift between Venezuela and other Opec oil-producing nations.
We'll see if Zapatero will help him explain that, too.
Monica Showalter of Investors' Business Daily, Siggy of Sigmund, Carl and Alfred and I discussed Chavez's move. You can listen to the podcast here.
