Chavéz Says Alunasa Closure is Not Politically Motivated
Venezuelan president, Hugo Chávez, reacted following comments made by Costa Rican president, Oscar Arias, and assured that the closing of Alunasa, a Venezuelan company located in Costa Rica is not politically motivated.

International news media like Univision broadcast the words by Chávez on the closure of Alunasa, saying "there is no political motivation... a plan to relocate the plant was made some three years back."

Aluminios Nacionales S.A. (Alunasa) employs some 400 in Esparza, located minutes from the port town of Puntarenas.

The head of the Partido Liberación Nacional (PLN) in the Legislative Assembly, Mayi Antillón, spoke out yesterday saying that the government will be protecting he employees. Antillón is questioning why the trade union is keeping quiet on the matter and not rushing to the aid fo the employees.

"That Chavéz doesn't come to threaten our workers. The government will take charge to defend them because the unions are silent because Chavéz is their friend and is rumoured to be collaborating with them", said Antillón.

The comments sparked a reaction by Frente Amplio party deputy, José Merino, who is asking the PLN leader for proof backing her statements of the Venezuelan government financing unions in Costa Rica.

Merino added that it is sad that the government is using the Alunasa workers as bait. Merino said that the only government meddling in Costa Rican affairs is the United States, financing campaigns in favour of the Tratado de Libre Comercio (free trade agreement).

For his part, Jorge Eduardo Sánchez, of the Partido Unidad Social Cristiana (PUSC), categorized the Chavéz government as Bolivarianism, a set of political doctrines that enjoys currency in parts of South America, especially Venezuela.

Sánchez said that the Venezuelan president is using that country's parliament to take a more active role, like the treathened closing of Alunasa, as reprisals against Arias's recent comments against the Chavéz way of governing.