RAQUEL BARREIRO C.
EL UNIVERSAL

President Hugo Chávez' father, Hugo de los Reyes Chávez, who is the governor of south-western Barinas state, Monday signed a decree for expropriation of silos and corn processing facilities belonging to Promabasa, a property of Polar Companies.

The Barinas governor claimed the move was intended to launch a project ensuring food production under the form of collective property.

With a view to exercise sovereignty, implement a project ensuring agro-industrial production and develop the Barinas state corn production plan, "it was decreed the forced purchase of assets allegedly owned by Remavenca company that are indispensable for this work, namely, silos, warehouses, storage areas, yards, plots of land, premises of the corn processing and oil extraction plant, with all appurtenances."

The decree embraces all assets of any nature, premises, machinery, equipment, and materials composing the plant and necessary to manufacture and trade products under the Barinas state government agro-industrial plan.

The move is to enter into force as of publication in the Official Gazette of Barinas state.

This purchase was labeled as urgent and will be tax-free. This endogenous development core will be based on cooperatives operating under the regime of collective property.

Formalities
Guillermo Bolinaga, director of Polar Companies Legal and Regulatory Issues Department, said in a press release that the corporation is waiting for the publication of the decree expropriating Barinas I plant (Promabasa).

"This is a very delicate issue. We are waiting for this decision to be published and an official notice from the regional government in order to get an insight of the scope of said decree," Bolinaga added.

"This was a surprise move for us, as Barinas I is currently operating. Silos are operating and ready to store corn in these premises, while Polar Food Division offices are also working at this facility."

Bolinaga stressed that more than one week ago, and with the mediation of Barinas state governor's office and the National Assembly, the seizure of Barinas I was lifted. Regional corn growers and the Labor Ministry, as well as the Agriculture and Land Ministry managed to reach an agreement back then to end the takeover.

"We do not understand how, following acknowledgment of operativity in Barinas I by Agriculture and Land Minister Antonio Albarrán, the National Assembly ad hoc committee and the Barinas state governor's office, the expropriation of this plant has been ordered," Bolinaga added.

Regarding this issue, Agriculture and Land Minister Antonio Albarrán told Unión Radio that even though he recently acted as a mediator to alleviate a legal conflict in connection with Promabasa silos, the decision to confiscate this plant was made "independently" by the regional legislative council.

"I was a mediator between corn producers, former (Promabasa) workers, and the producer association Asoprai. Now, the move the regional legislative council has made is an autonomous decision, and we do not have any influence on it."

Background
On August 30, National Armed Force troopers took over the premises of Promabasa and prevented Asoprai (Association of Producers Italven) members from storing corn in silos.

On September 1, Polar Food Division filed an action seeking reversion of this move and restoration of property right, economic freedom, right to defense and due process.

On September 17, Polar companies representatives, former Promabasa workers, Asoprai members and the regional government reached an agreement to reactive the silos. Nevertheless, operations were not resumed.

Translated by Maryflor Suárez R.