Venezuela has a population of about 27 million people and is about twice the size of California. The country’s main natural resource is oil. In 2007, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez nationalized firms in the petroleum, communications, and electricity sectors. In 2008, he continued his efforts to increase the government’s control of the economy by nationalizing firms in the cement and steel sectors. Chavez is the hub of anti-American sentiment in Latin America. He has an intense hatred of the United States and is forming alliances with other countries hostile to us, including Iran, North Korea, and Cuba. He envisions building a nuclear arsenal to deal with the Yankee imperialists. He is building his military forces and spending large sums of money to buy Russian weapons and aircraft.
