Thread: Chavez threatens to stop oil exports over new EU immig laws

Chavez threatens to stop oil exports over new EU immigration laws

CARACAS (AFP) — President Hugo Chavez threatened Thursday to shut off oil exports to European countries that enforce tough new EU rules on illegal immigrants.

"Our petroleum should not go to these European countries" that apply the new laws, Chavez said at a press conference here.

Just as European nations could return undocumented immigrants to their country of origin, Latin American countries could also decide "the return of European investments," Chavez said.

"At least in Venezuela," he said. "We don't need them here."

Chavez said that his government would "review the investments that they (the Europeans) have here to see if we can also apply a 'return directive'."

The European Union adopted tough new rules Wednesday on illegal immigrants, allowing detention for up to 18 months prior to expulsion, and angering human rights groups.

The measures, which could come into force in 2010, passed their final political hurdle at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, where they were endorsed by 367 votes to 206 with 109 abstentions.

They will oblige authorities in 27 EU nations to choose between issuing residency or other permits to the estimated half a million people coming in illegally each year or returning them to their countries of origin.

Those denied residency have two options: "return" home or face "removal."

Currently nine EU states set no limit at all on the amount of time that people can be detained. Many others have far shorter custody times than the six months the so-called "return directive" will introduce.

The new measures will form a major building block in a sweeping new EU "immigration pact" which France is preparing to unveil in July when it takes over the bloc's rotating presidency for six months.
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gzT ... uljGdeUr7w

On at least this I agree with McCain - the United States needs new nuclear power plants! France obtains almost all of its domestic electricity from a national chain of such plants. They have never had an accident in one of these plants, and French citizens say they have absolute confidence in the system of disposing of nuclear waste. Why must the United States spend its time "reinventing the wheel" submitting and re-submitting plans for nuclear plants and waste disposal when France already has a model system in operation?!

Chavez gained quite a lot of new enemies. As far as the oil is concerned even European socialist governments will stop to pretend they are a bunch of pussycats.

Wondering when we will see Mr. Chavez swimming down the Orinoco river with a warm greetings letter from grandma in Paris pinned on him.

Our petroleum should not go to these European countries" that apply the new laws, Chavez said at a press conference here.

Hope the United States is listening! This is what happens when countries are dependent upon rogue nations such as Venezuela and Saudi Arabia for fuel supplies. They threaten to cut off oil supplies if we do not bow down to their demands.