The usually well—informed Vcrisis website is reporting that the homes of two former executives of Venezuela's state—owned oil company PDVSA have been raided by police today, and a third raid on another executive's residence is said to be planned.

One of the former executives, Horacsio Medina, is reportedly charged with treason.

The Marxist regime of Hugo Chavez is increasingly willing to openly intimidate its opponents. The "crimes" of the former executives are unknown, but the basis of the "crimes" might well be political. Currently, the unionized workforce of PDVSA is locked in a pay dispute with the government, and union officials have been harrassed. Oil is the sole major export of Venezuela, one of the largest producers in the world, and an founding member of OPEC.

UPDATE: the Spanish langugae Globovision website is reporting on the riads. So far as we know, no American media outlets are covering this further step toward a Marxist tyranny in our neighbor and large oil supplier, Venezuela. The fate of the Venezuelan people holds less interest than the marital follies of Hollywood celebrities.

Thomas Lifson   1 10 05