I don't really know my history on this topic but is it possible that if companies would cooperate with the Venezuelan government that they could be profitable? Perhaps not as profitable in the short term but what about over time? Look at Japan where the government and industry are bond like husband and wife. I mean, it's pretty common knowledge that Japanese men are married to their companies. The government gets its cut and business and society at large get theirs. People in Japan have pretty secure jobs if they work in the blue chips here. Think Panasonic, Toyota, Sharp, Nissan, etc. So, government interaction with business isn't necessarily bad. The Japanese have a pretty good life style. You don't see homeless too much, people are out shopping, eating, traveling, and, most important: working. They are busy here and on tight schedules.

Anyway, what's this all got to do with the Chavez administration? Well, perhaps they're trying to build a strong and independent society just like the rest of the world would like to have. America has it, Japan, Europe have it. China's on it's way to it, Russian and India too. Perhaps these stocks will do well in the long term for patient investors.