Boss Hugo Ain't So Boss These Days

Poor Venezuela prez Hugo Chavez. Remember what a big talker he's been in recent years? Slamming the US and all countries West in his bid to be Johnny Socialist? (Not to mention him working on a referendum that will assure he can run for indefinite re-election -- because who better to tell the people that the best thing for them is he himself?) It seems that as world oil prices take it in the shorts, Boss Hugo's been quietly rattling the cages of the oil giants like Royal Dutch/Shell and Chevron to try and get bids to tap his country's plentiful oil supplies. This after previously nationalizing oil fields, having tax squads raid their offices and imposing mounting royalty increases. Socialism works great -- just as long as you're the guy at the top of the heap...in a system that isnt supposed to have a heap.