| Thanks to all that money Presidente Chavez just got from China. |
(Reuters) - Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez on Sunday ordered a 40 percent pay rise for the armed forces, an increase that may help consolidate his support with troops by countering inflation ahead of legislative elections.
Chavez said the pay rise would bring a cadet's salary to 2,500 bolivars ($543). The former soldier has ramped up military spending during his 11 years in power, buying billions of dollars of mainly Russian and Chinese made arms to replace aging equipment.
"I will always be alert so that we do not fall behind," he said, making reference to a recently announced pay rise for doctors. "So that you can do your jobs and live with dignity with your families."
| Such a thoughtful, loving man... for those in the groups he favours. |
In recent years Chavez's socialist government has ordered some of the world's largest hikes to minimum wages and public workers' salaries, helping offset the highest inflation the hemisphere that was 25 percent in 2009 and will likely be higher this year.
Chavez has lost popularity in recent months because of electricity and water shortages and a long recession. Opposition politicians are expected to weaken Chavez's huge majority in the national assembly in legislative elections in September. The opposition has almost no seats right now after boycotting the last elections five years ago.
"Soldiers do not participate in political parties, but they are not apolitical, no man is apolitical," said Chavez, whose government granted the armed forces the right to vote.
| That's even better than giving citizenship to masses of illegal aliens. |
| The above is quite possibly linked to this story from AFP: |
War possible if Colombia's Santos elected, says Chavez
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who for years has had tense relations with neighboring Colombia, warned Sunday of worse ties, and even possible military hostilities, if Bogota's ex-defense chief Juan Manuel Santos wins the presidency, AFP disclosed. A victory by Santos in the May 30 presidential election "could lead to war" in the region, said Chavez on his "Hello Mr. President" weekly television and radio broadcast.
"Santos as president -- that could lead to war in this part of the world," the firebrand leftist leader said speaking about the conservative candidate, a close political ally of current president Alvaro Uribe.
| Now he's got money, he's feeling his oats. But soon the money will be spent, and because the oil is contracted to China, he won't be able to sell it elsewhere. Nationalizing something that belongs to China is not a wise choice. |
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