Venezuela Tax Agency Shuts Down Coca-Cola Operations

[NNN0LHI]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGB5PKVX85E.html

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Venezuela's tax agency on Tuesday ordered Coca-Cola Co.'s bottling plants and distribution centers across the country to close for two days as a penalty for allegedly failing to follow tax rules.

Tax officials said they would close the U.S. company's four bottling units and 34 distribution centers in Venezuela controlled by Coca-Cola Femsa SA. The company had failed to issue receipts for its sales and keep its books in order, said Selma Rendon, a top tax agency official.

"In this process they haven't been as forthcoming," as expected, she said.

Atlanta-based Coca-Cola referred questions to Femsa. "They're a bottler separate from us," spokesman Ben Deutsch said.

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[MidwestTransplant]

1. MOAB Baby. Yeah!

Oh sorry, I thought I was on Free Republic. My mistake ;)

[Webster Green]

2. Shot across the bow to BushCo Inc...

Telling the chimp to mind his own fucking business and stay out of Venezuela politics.

[Canuckistanian]

3. On the same day Condoleeza Rice declares new Venezuela policy

And dark hints about a dictatorship. Chavez must have struck a nerve this time.

[Say_What]

8. Maybe the nerve he struck was at the World Social Forum (partly anyway)

<clips>

Venezuela’s Chavez Closes World Social Forum with Call to Transcend Capitalism

Caracas, Jan 30, 2005 (Venezuelanalysis.com).- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was warmly received at the 2005 edition of the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil, where he held several meetings with local leaders, intellectuals and activists, and gave the closing speech at the Gigantinho Stadium. Chavez generated great interest among Forum participants, many of whom see Chavez and his project of political transformations being implemented in Venezuela, as an inspiration in the struggles for a more better world.

The Venezuelan President visited the Lagoa do Junco agrarian settlement in Tapes set up by Brazil's Landless Movement (MST), and later held a press conference with more than 120 media organizations, where he criticized the U.S. government for claiming to lead a fight against terrorism while undermining Democracy in Venezuela.

Chavez highlighted the recent creation of Latin American satellite TV network TeleSur, "which will allow us to tell our people’s reality in our own words." He added that TeleSur will be at the disposal of the people, not of governments.

The leader added that his country's military forces are undergoing a period of modernization of its weapon systems and resources, but asserted that it is aimed at defending the country's sovereignty. "Venezuela will not attack anybody, but don’t attack Venezuela, because you will find us ready to defend our sovereignty, and the project we are carrying forward," he added.

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=1486

[Say_What]

21. Sleezy is still smarting from Chavez calling her an ILLITERATE last year

I nearly forgot about his episode. It was pretty funny when it happened.

<clips>

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez accused the U.S. of plotting with his country's opposition to oust him and repeated a comment that U.S. National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice is ``illiterate'' about Venezuela's role in the region.

... Chavez said the U.S. was interfering in the country's internal affairs by backing an opposition effort to hold a recall on his presidency.

Chavez also repeated criticism of Rice, whom he accused Saturday of being an ``illiterate.'' He said that he plans to send Rice books from the country's adult literacy program, so she can ``learn a bit about the country.''

Rice said late Friday that Venezuela hadn't been playing a useful role in the region.

Chavez isn't scheduled to meet with Bush during the summit.

http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000086&sid=ap_IuupSHGy8&refer=latin_america

[burrowowl]

4. MacDonald's

now Coca-Cola :evilgrin:

Good Work!

[Skink]

6. No coke...Pepsi.

[leesa]

5. Excellent. Kick the bloodsuckers out!

[Mika]

7. When one fucks with Coca Cola and McD's one is fucking with Murica

:nuke:

---

[Say_What]

9. F*ck'n with 'muriKa...

:hi:

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Say_What]

11. Sounds like that tripe they spin out on Radio Mambi or El Nuevo Herald

[shadowknows69]

12. He knows the only way to make large corporations accountable

for what they pull is to take some of their God away.

[vision]

13. If companies don't want to pay taxes

if they don't want to the pay the price to maintain society, i.e. taxes than they should not expect that society to support them. Why shouldn't they pay the max amount of taxes they are due? I don't get that I cannot go buy a new VCR and expect to not pay the max amount of sales tax that the state charges, I cannot say "Oh I visiting from Texas and we don't have sales tax there so I'm not going to pay it here in Missouri." If I tried that at best I would not get the VCR and at worst the police could come to have a talk with me.

How come a corporation is given more rights than a person?

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

16. Who pays for the sidewalk that leads to McDonalds?

Who pays for the roads that allow Coke to distribute their goods?

Not them, apparently.

[thebigidea]

14. I bet it keeps you up at night: all those poor people fed and clothed

what a horrible nightmare! Maybe if you click your ruby slippers three times while chanting, "there's no club like the club for growth... there's no club like the club for growth... there's no club like the club for growth... "

[Renew Deal]

15. My understanding is that he plans on going back to private life

when his term is legally over.

[girl gone mad]

18. Free rides?

You mean like the free ride Coca Cola has been getting by not paying the taxes they owe?

Or do you mean a free ride like the crzy notion that a country's natural resources belong to the citizens of that country and they should share in profits made from exploiting those natural resources?

[Vladimir]

19. Once again, you're right!

that is why in the home of the brave, the government keeps everyone hooked - on the free rides given to the businesses and media that control public opinion...

[libodem]

17. Outsourcing

GONE BAD

[ret5hd]

20. coca-cola equals CIA...

CC provides cover for many many cia agents around the world and is thought of (in many parts of the world) as little more than a (profitable) front for the organization.