Chavez Says He’s Postponing Plant Closure
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said yesterday in Caracas that he is postponing the closure of an aluminum plant in Costa Rica while he re-evaluates his decision, reports Costa Rica’s leading daily, La Nacion, today.
The paper said he plans to send a commission to Costa Rica to investigate the plant, which employs 400 in the small town of Esparza northwest of the capital. Chavez had last week given orders to cease shipments of raw material to the Esparza facility, pending opening a new plant in another country, thought to be Nicaragua. The shipments are resuming, he said.
A great deal of speculation has circulated here about Chavez’s motivation for the closure, including that the threatened move was in retribution for strong criticism by Costa Rican President Oscar Arias directed at the Venezuelan president’s policies. It is also known that Chavez wishes to strengthen his ties with other socialist leaders, including President Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua.