I will make a bold prediction. This idiotic decision by Chavez will lead to a violent uprising and he will be promptly overthrown.

Full story at the link.

CARACAS, June 10 (Reuters) - The Venezuelan government of U.S.-critic President Hugo Chavez on Wednesday ordered Coca-Cola Co <KO.N> to withdraw its Coke Zero beverage from the South American nation, citing unspecified dangers to health.

The decision follows a wave of nationalizations and increased scrutiny of businesses in South America's top oil exporter.

Health Minister Jesus Mantilla said the zero-calorie Coke Zero should no longer be sold and stocks of the drink removed from store shelves.

Reuters AlertNet - Venezuela bans Coke Zero, cites "danger to health"

I wonder, are there any other aspartame/ace-K sweetened sodas sold there?

Originally Posted by CaptainCaveUrsine

I will make a bold prediction. This idiotic decision by Chavez will lead to a violent uprising and he will be promptly overthrown.

Full story at the link.

CARACAS, June 10 (Reuters) - The Venezuelan government of U.S.-critic President Hugo Chavez on Wednesday ordered Coca-Cola Co <KO.N> to withdraw its Coke Zero beverage from the South American nation, citing unspecified dangers to health.

The decision follows a wave of nationalizations and increased scrutiny of businesses in South America's top oil exporter.

Health Minister Jesus Mantilla said the zero-calorie Coke Zero should no longer be sold and stocks of the drink removed from store shelves.

Reuters AlertNet - Venezuela bans Coke Zero, cites "danger to health"

NOW he's just gone too far!

This note just pissed me off!

It's just another strategy made by this idiot of Hugo Chavez in order to attack the international companies... and the ban of Coke Zero is not the first attack to Coca-Cola FEMSA (a mexican bottling company BTW): first "former workers" of Coca-Cola take the bottling plants and distribution centers (surely paid by Chavez), then Chavez orders Coca-Cola FEMSA to get rid of the parking lot of their bottling plant, and now this!... and all our friends in Venezuela will not enjoy Coke zero again just because the health department thinks that the Venezuelan Coke Zero has cyclamates because the mexican one had it (not anymore)...

And we were so close to have a bastard like Chavez on the presidence of Mexico... thank goodness it didn't happened!

Originally Posted by Android

I wonder, are there any other aspartame/ace-K sweetened sodas sold there?

Yes... Coca-Cola Light, Chinotto Light (Venezuelan version of Sprite Zero), Pepsi Light and 7UP Light... but they will run with the same luck as Coke Zero if Chavez continues with that attitude...

http://www.coca-cola.com.ve/swf/ve/productos.swf
Empresas Polar:Pepsi Light
Empresas Polar:7 Up Light

chavez is a lunatic... and THIS proves it. lol

[Doing my best Braveheart impression]

Chavez, you may take our freedom, but you'll never take our.......COKE ZERO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The crowd roars.

lol Captain!

Here is the background of this.

Venezuela was one of the few countries in the world where Pepsi outsold Coke.

This was because Pepsi was bottled there by the Cisneros Company. This is one of the wealthiest families in Venezuela and one of the most successful businesses in Latin America. The Cisneros Company owns TV, beer, transportation and all other kinds of businesses all over northern South America.

Then one day about 1992 Cisneros let its deal with Pepsi expire. And became the Coke bottler. Overnight. Complete exchange of equipment, repainting of all the trucks. Everything. Pepsi was left without a distributor and struggled to get re-established.

Then, Coke HQ arranged for its three main Latin bottlers, CC FEMSA, Cisneros, and Pan Am Co, to merge into a larger CC FEMSA via a stock purchase.

Obviously the Cisneros family owns a lot of stock in CC FEMSA. And the remaining Cisneros Company, expecially its TV stations, oppose his communist dictatorship. This is this particular tin horn dictator's latest gig. Historians will remember that the last time the USA failed to stand up to this kind of thing, the dictator screwed with Coke, and Bacardi, Havana Club, and the cigar makers, until all had to flee to Miami.

FYI

Venezuela: Coca-Cola Zero has harmful sweetener