Venezuela, The 51st State? - Why Chavez Suspects U.S. Invasion

The presidential term of office is six years in Venezuela with a single consecutive term. El Presidente Hugo Chavez is a popular shoe-in for re-election in 2006. What happens in 2012?
To delay 2012 elections (retain power beyond constitutional provisions) a national emergency must have been declared. It would not be an unheard of contrivance in South America. It can be assumed Chavez has already made plans , but when he learned details (see LA NUEVA CUBA below) of Operation Balboa, he assumed the U.S. and NATO were probably on to him.

Chavez, interviewed on ABC's Nightline, said the plan is called 'Balboa' and involves aircraft carriers and planes. CNN.com report. He said the military exercise is known as "Plan Balboa" and has included rehearsing simultaneous assaults by air, sea and land, involving troops from the United States and NATO countries.

The Spanish military held 'Operation Balboa' (in May 2001, conducting a mock assault in which the United States and allied countries simulated an attack on western Venezuela from bases in Panama and Colombia. U.S. and NATO officials provided classified information about Venezuela for the simulation conducted by 26 lieutenant colonels and other officials from the Spanish air force and other countries.

Interesting from LA NUEVA CUBA
Operation Balboa then goes into great detail into the hypothetical political situation of Venezuela. It posits the existence of a radical People's Party that "proposes actions against the interests of the legally constituted government" and against properties of the Blue Country (United States). The Venezuelan Revolutionary Force (VFL), exists in the west, with support of the White (Colombian) guerrillas, popular groups, and some of the Armed Forces, and practically controls the western part of Purple (Venezuela). The United Nations Security Council calls upon the VLF to abandon its belligerent actions and make peace with the Purple government. Peace talks between the groups fail, and Blue residents of the Black area are threatened. The UN authorizes the creation of an Allied Joint Combined Force to rescue the foreign residents (more juicy details).

So what was Chavez's plan to warrant the declaration of national emergency? Yanqui imperialism -the 51st state (we don't have to believe it, and well-to-do Venezuelans won't either, only his loyal, peasant voters). Well, Chavez it appears will need a revised plan.