PDVSA power playVenezuelans are big hit as giant OTC stand sends potent message

Nobody can accuse the Venezuelans of being predictable. PDVSA name tags were as rare as a rose in winter at the 2004 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) and with President Hugo Chavez declaring a war of words on the Bush administration, there seemed little reason to expect anything different this year.

Apparently relishing in their ability to spring a surprise on the international oil sector, the Venezuelans erected a monumental stand, and the delegation attached to the

state-owned oil company numbered a whopping 120.

The sleek lines of a racing car, and sleeker lines of the fastest woman in the world, Le Mans champion Milka Duno, were an even more powerful attention-grabber.

The Chavez administration has taken a similar line on past occasions, merrily bashing the international oil companies for the benefit of the domestic audience while simultaneously engaging in a charm offensive in the very heart of the imperialist empire.

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PDVSA power playVenezuelans are big hit as giant OTC stand sends potent message