Chávez heir cracks down on "hoarding" Nicolás Maduro, the anointed heir to Hugo Chávez, on Tuesday showed he would continue the radical economic path of Venezuela's ailing president as he cracked down on what he claimed was hoarding and speculation by private companies. In reaction to opposition claims that the Opec nation was suffering from a power vacuum in Mr Chávez's absence, the government made a show of force by sending troops to take control of food distribution networks, including Venezuela's six private sugar mills, as scarcity of basic goods riled shoppers. Although little is known about the policy preferences of Mr Maduro, a former trade unionist, the move signals that Mr Chávez's controversial economic management is unlikely to be substantially moderated under a government led by Venezuela's vice-president if the socialist leader's cancer forces him to relinquish power. The government is trying to project an image of continuity and stability as a constitutional crisis looms if Mr Chávez fails to attend the inauguration of his third six-year term, meant to take place on Thursday. Round-the-clock videos are being shown on state television of the charismatic leader embracing children, playing baseball and praising Simón Bolívar, Venezuela's independence hero. Analysts say the television spots are intended to reassure supporters that Venezuela's usually omnipresent leader is still in charge, despite the fact that he has not been seen since cancer surgery on December 11. The videos, which have an almost religious tone, are also seen as a bid to stir up emotions in the event that new presidential elections must be called if Mr Chávez is too sick to rule. The latest official update on Mr Chávez's health on Monday night described the socialist leader's condition as "stationary." He is suffering from a respiratory deficiency caused by a pulmonary infection following surgery last month. "Treatment is permanently and rigorously administered and the patient is assimilating it," said Ernesto Villegas, information minister. But there was a subtle addition to the usually terse statements, with a veiled warning directed at the private sector, which the government accused of causing shortages of staples by "hoarding and speculating." Officials said that temporary closures, fines, confiscation of goods and the imprisonment of business owners were some of the possible penalties if "irregularities" were discovered. Business representatives responded that shortages were a result of the government's economic policies, including intimidation, price controls and rationing of foreign currency in a country that was heavily dependent on imports. "There isn't a single example in the world of a country where controlling prices and threatening businesses has worked in solving shortages," said Luis Vicente León, a pollster and economist who advises leading private companies in Venezuela. Mr León argues that Mr Maduro is attempting to consolidate his support not only within the executive, with rumours swirling about rival government factions competing for power, but also among the broader population. "[He] has opted for the most aggressive, most radical path: let's get the businessmen, let's get the oligarchy!" said Mr León on national television on Tuesday. The opposition is expected to protest if Mr Chávez fails to show by January 10, the date stipulated in the constitution as the start of new presidential terms, and Mr Maduro remains caretaker of the government, as has been suggested by officials. According to the constitution, they say, Diosdado Cabello, the president of Congress, should become interim president in these circumstances. "Bypassing the constitution at this stage would make questionable the legitimacy of the government after January 10, raising considerable uncertainty and increasing the risk of a governability crisis," wrote analysts at Barclays in a note to clients on Tuesday. Paradoxically, the delay of the transition could end up being politically costly for chavismo, making them face a more difficult election in the future.