Venezuela Government To Take Greater Role In Tourism Industry

The Venezuelan government will take a greater role in the tourism industry under a new law decreed by President Hugo Chavez that also makes it easier for the government to seize control of companies in the tourism sector. The new law, which was approved by Chavez last week and whose contents were published Monday, labels the tourism industry as 'public interest' which allows to nationalize any companies operating in the sector. The law, which was approved as part of a legislative package signed by Chavez using special decree powers just before they ran out Aug. 1, states that its main objective is to make tourism 'an instrument of social inclusion.... to build a new socialist society.'