Chavéz May Back Off On Plant Closure
In typical style, Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavéz, said yesterday in Caracas, that he will meet with the employees of the aluminum plant, Alunasa, in Costa Rica, to possibly reconsider his earlier decision to close the plant.

Chavéz has said that he intends to close the plant located in Esparza, east of the Pacific port town of Puntarenas, that employees 400, saying that the closure is for "technical" reasons and not because of his anger towards Costa Rican president, Oscar Arias, for his comments against him.

The news of the plant closure and possible move to Nicaragua has made headlines not only in Costa Rica, but also around the world.

President Arias has made it clear that he had no intention of offending Venezuela or Chavéz when he said that Venezuela was heading towards a dictatorship, which angered the Venezuelan president and immediately making the announcement of the plant closure, though denying that that was the reason behind his decision.

The EFE news agency reported this morning that Chavéz is satisfied with the recent comments by Arias, happy to hear that Arias did not want to offend him or his country and that he may be open to change his mind about the plant closure, after he meets with the employees.

Alunasa has been operating in Costa Rican since 1990 and is owned by the Venezuelan government.