General Motors says it will immediately halt operations in Venezuela after its plant in the country was unexpectedly seized by authorities.

GM (GM) described the takeover as an "illegal judicial seizure of its assets."

The automaker said the seizure showed a "total disregard" of its legal rights. It said that authorities had removed assets including cars from company facilities.

"[GM] strongly rejects the arbitrary measures taken by the authorities and will vigorously take all legal actions, within and outside of Venezuela, to defend its rights," it said in a statement.

Authorities in Venezuela, which is mired in a severe economic crisis, did not respond to requests for comment.

It was not immediately clear why authorities seized the GM plant. Huge swaths of Venezuela's economy have been nationalized in the years since former President Hugo Chavez rose to power. Under Chavez, who took office in 1999, the state took control of private oil, telecommunications, energy and cement businesses.

President Nicolas Maduro has continued the tradition, while blaming the United States and its companies for Venezuela's economic and political problems.

"Government decision making is increasingly incoherent. It's difficult to understand the rationale," said Nicolas Watson, head of Latin American research at Teneo Intelligence.

Automakers in the country have struggled because they've been unable to access U.S. dollars to import parts, said Watson.

The GM plant in Valencia employs nearly 2,700 workers, but stopped producing cars in 2015 and has only been selling spare parts since then, a company spokesperson said.

GM said it would make "separation payments" to its workers.

Venezuela is in crisis mode: The country's economy shrank by 18% in 2016 -- its third consecutive year of recession. Unemployment is set to surpass 25%, and its people have suffered from widespread shortages of food and medicine.

Hyperinflation has wiped out the value of its currency, the bolivar. The price of consumer goods has skyrocketed.

Large-scale protests erupted in recent weeks after Maduro's administration barred opposition leader Henrique Capriles from holding political office for the next 15 years. At least nine people have been killed in the protests.

Maduro has been accused by the opposition of behaving like a dictator.

In late March, the loyalist-backed Supreme Court tried to strip the opposition-led National Assembly of its powers, but quickly reversed course after a severe public outcry. The Supreme Court also blocked all reforms from opposition lawmakers.

Related: As protests swell, Venezuela spirals into 'deep economic crisis'

A slew of global firms have pulled out of the country or been forced to halt operations as a result of government interference or moves to put key sectors of the economy under state control.

ExxonMobil (XOM) pulled the plug on its operations in Venezuela in 2007 after former President Hugo Chavez attempted to nationalize one of its projects. The oil producer then took the government to court.

In 2016, Kleenex maker Kimberly-Clark (KMB) suspended its operations in Venezuela, citing the country's "rapidly escalating inflation" and the "continued deterioration of economic and business conditions."

The government called the closure illegal. It took over operations at the facility days later, according to state-run media.

Related: GM isn't the only company under siege in Venezuela

Coca-Cola (KO) was also forced to halt production of Coke and other sugar-sweetened beverages last year due to a sugar shortage.

-- Marilia Brocchetto and Ana Melgar contributed to this report.</s>CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The Latest on the protests and counter demonstrations in Venezuela (all times local):

Venezuelan Interior Minister Nestor Reverol is blaming an opposition party for the killing of a 23-year-old woman amid ongoing protests in the South American country.

Reverol said Thursday that Paola Ramirez was killed on Wednesday by a member of Vente Venezuela, a party led by high-profile opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.

Vente Venezuela did not immediately respond to the accusation. Machado said the government was trying to blame her party for the killing of a young woman that the administration itself was responsible for.

Ramirez was killed over the past day in the restive western border city of San Cristobal amid protests that also left two others dead — a teenage boy reportedly on his way to a soccer match with friends, and a National Guard officer whose unit was attacked.

The minister said a preliminary investigation suggests that the Vente Venezuela attack on Ramirez was planned in advance.

San Cristobal Mayor Patricia Gutierrez has said that Ramirez was shot to death by people who appeared to be government supporters.

The spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says that the organization is “concerned” about what’s happening in Venezuela and urges that “all efforts be made to lower tensions and prevent further clashes.”

A statement issued Thursday by spokesman Stephane Dujarric calls on the Venezuelan government and opposition to “engage sincerely to reactivate dialogue efforts, ” especially on issues such as the balance of power among branches of government, the electoral calendar, human rights, truth and justice and the country’s socio-economic situation.”

Tens of thousands of people are pouring into the main thoroughfares of Caracas in the latest anti-government demonstration in the Venezuelan capital.

Just minutes after they started on Thursday, police deployed tear gas in an effort to slow their advance.

Amid a sea of Venezuelan flags the marchers shouted: “Who are we?”

“What do we want?” the marchers asked.

Wilfredo Coronel, a 42-year-old priest, held up a rosary in his right hand.

He accused the government of violating the people’s right to live, food and free expression and “it’s necessary that we recover those spaces.

The European Union is calling for an investigation into the deaths and other violence during anti-government demonstrations in Venezuela and for those responsible to be held accountable.

The EU’s executive commission said Thursday that it was “saddened” by the deaths of two young people during Wednesday’s protests. A third person, a National Guard sergeant, was killed and a colonel was injured when their squad was attacked with gunfire while trying to control disturbances in a city near Caracas.

Eight people have died so far in demonstrations over the past several weeks.

The European Commission says: “All concerned, including members of the security forces, have a responsibility to act in full compliance with the rule of law and human rights.”

The bloc urged Venezuelans “to come together to de-escalate the situation and find democratic solutions.”

General Motors has stopped doing business in Venezuela after authorities took control of its only factory there in what GM called an illegal judicial seizure of its assets.

The plant was confiscated on Wednesday as anti-government protesters clashed with authorities in a country that is roiling in economic troubles such as food shortages and triple-digit inflation.

The Detroit automaker said in a statement Thursday that other assets such as vehicles were taken from the plant, causing irreparable damage to the company.

GM says the plant was taken in disregard of its right to due process. The company says it will defend itself legally and that it’s confident that justice eventually will prevail.

GM has about 2,700 workers in the troubled country, where it’s been the market leader for over 35 years.

Authorities say a third person has died overnight in the ongoing protests in Venezuela.

The chief prosecutor’s office reported Thursday that a National Guard sergeant was killed and a colonel injured when their squad was attacked with gunfire while trying to control disturbances in a city near Caracas.

The sergeant was the third person reported killed in the protests over the past day and the eighth person to die in demonstrations over the past several weeks. The other two people killed amid Wednesday’s demonstrations included a teenager who was heading to a soccer match with friends. Both of those other two deaths were blamed on pro-government groups.

Venezuela’s opposition is looking to keep up pressure on President Nicolas Maduro by taking to the streets again Thursday, a day after hundreds were arrested in the biggest anti-government demonstrations in years.</s>CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela is in the midst of a violent protest movement that has left eight dead this month as the country’s deeply unpopular socialist administration struggles to stay in power and a newly energized opposition calls for immediate presidential elections.

The protests began three weeks ago after the Supreme Court issued a decision stripping the opposition-controlled congress of its last remaining powers. President Nicolas Maduro later asked the court to walk back that move amid a storm of international criticism. But the attempt to take over congress has unleashed long-simmering anger amid an economic crisis that has a majority of Venezuelans skipping meals and even losing weight.

Tens of thousands of protesters flooded the streets again Thursday, after the government seized a General Motors plant in its first such seizure of the major company in two years.

The opposition scored a stunning landslide victory in 2015 legislative elections amid growing frustration with Maduro’s handling of the economy. Opposition leaders vowed to seek his ouster through constitutional means, but the government-stacked Supreme Court has stopped them at every turn.

Then in late March, the Supreme Court issued a ruling nullifying the body altogether. The court quickly reversed that ruling, but opposition leaders say the socialist administration revealed its true dictatorial ambitions. The country has seen near-daily protests ever since.

The big fear is a repeat of the riots and looting that rocked Caracas in 1989, leaving around 300 people dead. Another wave of anti-government unrest in 2014 resulted in more than 40 deaths and dozens of arrests.

Venezuela has one of the world’s highest homicide rates and the huge number of firearms circulating on the streets is a major concern in the event of unrest, as are the activities of armed motorcycle gangs that were once loyal to the government.

The economy is forecast to sink 8 percent this year and the International Monetary Fund forecasts inflation will soar to four digits next year. Foreign currency reserves have tumbled.

Oil accounts for 96 percent of Venezuela’s export earnings and the plunge in world oil prices hit the government hard, leaving it owing money across the board, from foreign airlines to oil service companies. Rebounding oil prices, which are up around 60 percent this year after dipping to a 13-year low, could buy Maduro some time to attempt to fix the economy. A new loan from China could also help, but Venezuela’s biggest creditor has stopped issuing new loans.

The Venezuelan government has already seized many assets of foreign corporations. General Motors said Thursday that its plant in the country had been seized, causing it to halt its operations in the South American nation.

Polls say 75 percent of Venezuelans want Maduro gone, but about 20 percent support him. That’s actually a higher percentage of support currently received by leaders in Brazil, Chile and Colombia. More importantly, Maduro maintains a tight grip on almost every branch of government and institution, though support within his ruling socialist party is fraying.

The opposition is divided by some big egos and has had a tough time connecting with poor people who still revere the late Hugo Chavez. Both hardcore and moderate opposition members want to keep up street protests and push for new general elections.

Venezuela’s military historically has been the arbiter of political disputes and some in the opposition are trying to spur its leaders into action to resolve the current impasse. However, Chavez and Maduro have been skillful in winning over the top brass through patronage and powerful government jobs, and there is no outward sign of disgruntlement even at the junior levels.

One unanswered question is whether the military will use heavy force as it did during anti-government unrest in 2014.</s>CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Venezuela is in the midst of a violent protest movement that has left eight dead this month as the country's deeply unpopular socialist administration struggles to stay in power and a newly energized opposition calls for immediate presidential elections.

The protests began three weeks ago after the Supreme Court issued a decision stripping the opposition-controlled congress of its last remaining powers. President Nicolas Maduro later asked the court to walk back that move amid a storm of international criticism. But the attempt to take over congress has unleashed long-simmering anger amid an economic crisis that has a majority of Venezuelans skipping meals and even losing weight.

Tens of thousands of protesters flooded the streets again Thursday, after the government seized a General Motors plant in its first such seizure of the major company in two years.

The opposition scored a stunning landslide victory in 2015 legislative elections amid growing frustration with Maduro's handling of the economy. Opposition leaders vowed to seek his ouster through constitutional means, but the government-stacked Supreme Court has stopped them at every turn.

Then in late March, the Supreme Court issued a ruling nullifying the body altogether. The court quickly reversed that ruling, but opposition leaders say the socialist administration revealed its true dictatorial ambitions. The country has seen near-daily protests ever since.

The big fear is a repeat of the riots and looting that rocked Caracas in 1989, leaving around 300 people dead. Another wave of anti-government unrest in 2014 resulted in more than 40 deaths and dozens of arrests.

Venezuela has one of the world's highest homicide rates and the huge number of firearms circulating on the streets is a major concern in the event of unrest, as are the activities of armed motorcycle gangs that were once loyal to the government.

The economy is forecast to sink 8 percent this year and the International Monetary Fund forecasts inflation will soar to four digits next year. Foreign currency reserves have tumbled.

Oil accounts for 96 percent of Venezuela's export earnings and the plunge in world oil prices hit the government hard, leaving it owing money across the board, from foreign airlines to oil service companies. Rebounding oil prices, which are up around 60 percent this year after dipping to a 13-year low, could buy Maduro some time to attempt to fix the economy. A new loan from China could also help, but Venezuela's biggest creditor has stopped issuing new loans.

The Venezuelan government has already seized many assets of foreign corporations. General Motors said Thursday that its plant in the country had been seized, causing it to halt its operations in the South American nation.

Polls say 75 percent of Venezuelans want Maduro gone, but about 20 percent support him. That's actually a higher percentage of support currently received by leaders in Brazil, Chile and Colombia. More importantly, Maduro maintains a tight grip on almost every branch of government and institution, though support within his ruling socialist party is fraying.

The opposition is divided by some big egos and has had a tough time connecting with poor people who still revere the late Hugo Chavez. Both hardcore and moderate opposition members want to keep up street protests and push for new general elections.

Venezuela's military historically has been the arbiter of political disputes and some in the opposition are trying to spur its leaders into action to resolve the current impasse. However, Chavez and Maduro have been skillful in winning over the top brass through patronage and powerful government jobs, and there is no outward sign of disgruntlement even at the junior levels.

One unanswered question is whether the military will use heavy force as it did during anti-government unrest in 2014.</s>Venezuela is in the midst of a violent protest movement that has resulted in eight deaths this month as the country's deeply unpopular socialist administration struggles to stay in power and a newly energized opposition calls for an immediate presidential election.

 

 The protests began three weeks ago after the Supreme Court issued a decision stripping the opposition-controlled congress of its last remaining powers. President Nicolas Maduro later asked the court to walk back that move amid a storm of international criticism. But the attempt to take over congress unleashed long-simmering anger amid an economic crisis that has a majority of Venezuelans skipping meals and even losing weight.

 

 Tens of thousands of protesters flooded the streets again Thursday after the government took over a General Motors plant in its first such seizure of the major company in two years.

 

 How Protests Started

 

 The opposition scored a stunning landslide victory in 2015 legislative elections amid growing frustration with Maduro's handling of the economy. Opposition leaders vowed to seek his ouster through constitutional means, but the government-stacked Supreme Court has stopped them at every turn.

 

 Then in late March, the Supreme Court issued a ruling nullifying the body altogether. The court quickly reversed that ruling, but opposition leaders say the socialist administration revealed its true dictatorial ambitions. The country has seen near-daily protests ever since.

 

 What's at Stake

 

 The big fear is a repeat of the riots and looting that rocked Caracas in 1989, leaving around 300 people dead. Another wave of anti-government unrest in 2014 resulted in more than 40 deaths and dozens of arrests.

 

 Venezuela has one of the world's highest homicide rates and the huge number of firearms circulating on the streets is a major concern in the event of unrest, as are the activities of armed motorcycle gangs that were once loyal to the government.

 

 State of the Economy

 

 The economy is forecast to sink 8 percent this year and the International Monetary Fund forecasts inflation will soar to four digits next year. Foreign currency reserves have tumbled.

 

 Oil accounts for 96 percent of Venezuela's export earnings and the plunge in world oil prices hit the government hard, leaving it owing money across the board, from foreign airlines to oil service companies. Rebounding oil prices, which are up around 60 percent this year after dipping to a 13-year low, could buy Maduro some time to attempt to fix the economy. A new loan from China could also help, but Venezuela's biggest creditor has stopped issuing new loans.

 

 The Venezuelan government has already seized many assets of foreign corporations. General Motors said Thursday that its plant in the country had been seized, causing it to halt its operations in the South American nation.

 

 Maduro's Options

 

 Polls say 75 percent of Venezuelans want Maduro gone, but about 20 percent support him. That's actually a higher percentage of support currently received by leaders in Brazil, Chile and Colombia. More importantly, Maduro maintains a tight grip on almost every branch of government and institution, though support within his ruling socialist party is fraying.



 

 The opposition has historically been divided by big egos and had a tough time connecting with poor people who still revere the late Hugo Chavez. But right now the opposition is more united than it has been in recent years. Both hardcore and moderate opposition leaders want to keep up street protests and push for new general elections.

 

 The Military

 

 Venezuela's military historically has been the arbiter of political disputes and some in the opposition are trying to spur its leaders into action to resolve the current impasse. However, Chavez and Maduro have been skillful in winning over the top brass through patronage and powerful government jobs, and there is no outward sign of disgruntlement even at the junior levels.

 

 One unanswered question is whether the military will use heavy force as it did during anti-government unrest in 2014.</s>VALENCIA, Venezuela — General Motors announced Thursday that it was shuttering operations in Venezuela after authorities seized its only factory, a dramatic escalation of the chaos engulfing the South American nation amid days of deadly protests.

The plant in the central city of Valencia was confiscated on Wednesday as anti-government protesters clashed with pro-government groups in a country battered by economic troubles including food shortages and triple-digit inflation.

GM called the move an illegal judicial seizure of its assets.

The Detroit automaker said in a statement Thursday that other assets such as vehicles were taken from the plant, causing irreparable damage to the company.

GM has about 2,700 workers in the country, where it’s been the market leader for over 35 years. It also has 79 dealers that employ 3,900 people, and its parts suppliers make up more than half of Venezuela’s auto parts market, the company said.

General Motors’ announcement comes as Venezuela’s opposition looks to keep up pressure on President Nicolas Maduro, taking to the streets again Thursday after three people were killed and hundreds arrested in the biggest anti-government demonstrations in years.

It’s not the first time the Venezuelan government has seized a foreign corporation’s facilities. In July of last year, the government said it would take a factory belonging to Kimberly-Clark Corp. after the American personal care giant said it was no longer possible to manufacture due to a lack of materials.

But the move against GM, the United States’ biggest automaker and one of its most recognizable brands, was a much more powerful statement, and could lead to a further erosion of relations between the two countries. There was no immediate reaction from Washington.

The seizure came as tens of thousands of protesters demanded elections and denounced what they consider to be an increasingly dictatorial government.

They were met Wednesday by a curtain of tear gas and rubber bullets as they attempted to march to downtown Caracas.

Across the country, the clashes have been intense. Pro-government militias, some of whose members were armed, were blamed for two deaths, including that of a teenager in Caracas who was heading to a soccer game with friends.

Overnight, a National Guard sergeant was killed and a colonel injured when their squad was attacked with gunfire while trying to control disturbances in a city near Caracas, the chief prosecutor’s office said.

The three killings bring to eight the death toll since protests began three weeks ago over the Supreme Court’s decision to strip the opposition-controlled congress of its last remaining powers, a move that was later reversed amid a storm of international criticism.

As protesters with burning eyes headed home, the opposition called for another round of street demonstrations on Thursday.

“If today we were millions, tomorrow even more of us need to come out,” said opposition governor and two-time presidential candidate Henrique Capriles, who last week was barred from running for office for 15 years.

The Supreme Court’s decision has energized Venezuela’s fractious opposition, which had been struggling to channel growing disgust with Maduro over widespread food shortages, triple-digit inflation and rampant crime.

Opponents are pushing for Maduro’s removal through early elections and the release of scores of political prisoners. The government last year abruptly postponed regional elections the opposition was heavily favored to win and cut off a petition drive to force a referendum seeking Maduro’s removal before elections late next year. The opposition sees the government measures as turning Venezuela into a nearly full-blown dictatorship.

But the government hasn’t backed down.

Maduro, addressing supporters at a much smaller but still large countermarch of mostly state workers, said he was “anxious” to see elections take place sometime “soon” and repeated his call for dialogue, something many in the opposition see as a stalling tactic.

“Today they attempted to take power by force and we defeated them again,” said Maduro, adding that in recent hours authorities had rounded up several armed opponents seeking to carry out a coup.

He didn’t provide any evidence to back up the coup claims, and the opposition rejected them as desperate attempt to intimidate Venezuelans from exercising their constitutional right to protest.

As tensions have mounted, the government has used its almost-complete control of Venezuela’s institutions to pursue its opponents. On Wednesday alone, more than 500 protesters were arrested nationwide, according to Penal Forum, a local NGO that provides legal assistance to detainees. It was unclear how many people remained in custody.

Foreign governments are also warning about the increasingly bellicose rhetoric coming from the government. The U.S. State Department said those who commit human rights abuses and undermine Venezuela’s democratic institutions would be held accountable.

“We are concerned that the government of Maduro is violating its own constitution and is not allowing the opposition to have their voices heard, nor allowing them to organize in ways that expresses the views of the Venezuelan people,” Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told reporters Wednesday.</s>Authorities in Venezuela have seized General Motors ’ factory, which led the American company to stop all operations in the country.</s>Venezuela seizes General Motors plant as country's crisis escalates GM described the takeover as an "illegal judicial seizure of its assets." Check out this story on ruidosonews.com: http://usat.ly/2pFAouc Workers adding body components to a Chevy Spark on the assembly line at the General Motors assembly plant in Valencia, Venezuela.

Start the conversation, or Read more at Ruidoso News.</s>General Motors said on Wednesday that Venezuelan authorities had illegally seized its plant in the industrial hub of Valencia and vowed to "take all legal actions" to defend its rights.

The seizure comes amid a deepening economic crisis in leftist-led Venezuela that has already roiled many US companies.

"Yesterday, GMV's (General Motors Venezolana) plant was unexpectedly taken by the public authorities, preventing normal operations. In addition, other assets of the company, such as vehicles, have been illegally taken from its facilities," the company said in a statement.

It said the seizure would cause irreparable damage to the company, its 2,678 workers, its 79 dealers and to its suppliers.

Venezuela's Information Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for information.

Venezuela's car industry has been in freefall, hit by a lack of raw materials stemming from complex currency controls and stagnant local production, and many plants are barely producing at all.

In early 2015, Ford Motor Co wrote off its investment in Venezuela when it took an $800 million pre-tax writedown.

The country's economic crisis has hurt many other U.S. companies, including food makers and pharmaceutical firms. A growing number are taking their Venezuelan operations out off their consolidated accounts.

Venezuela's government has taken over factories in the past. In 2014 the government announced the "temporary" takeover of two plants belonging to U.S. cleaning products maker Clorox Co which had left the country.

Venezuela faces around 20 arbitration cases over nationalizations under late leader Hugo Chavez.</s>News stories abound about the current crisis facing Venezuela and its impact on the country’s citizens, economy, and yes, General Motors. If you sit in any international business class, one of the major concepts that you will discuss is PEST. PEST stands for the Political, Economic, Social, and Technological factors that impact one’s ability to conduct business in a country. In our present scenario, General Motors has come to discover that its plant has been taken over by the Venezuelan government. The result of such a hostile action is the termination of the entire staff at the plant and the pursuit of legal action by General Motors, to the highest degree. But our friendly car manufacturer is not the only business being affected by the political climate in the tumultuous country.

As witnessed in the video above, other multinational corporations are also experiencing financial difficulty due to the riots and dissent. So, what would possess a government to even think that it could control a private enterprise? Why was General Motors in Venezuela in the first place?

The answer to the second question is to reduce cost by shifting production to a lower cost region. Well, maybe that is more along the lines of one of the reasons… it could also be to manufacture cars for the Caribbean and South American markets. No matter how you look at it though, the cost will remain one of the principal motives. Lesser developed countries (LDCs) such as Venezuela often engage with multinational corporations through the establishment of factories and plants within the LDC. This form of foreign direct investment has long been used as a tool for growing the LDC’s economy.

The issue that General Motors is finding itself in, is the emboldened moves of a government that is attempting to consolidate all assets within the country. You see, the Maduro government is being accused of becoming more dictatorial in nature and as a result of policies, economic conditions, and social tensions, the country is facing a humanitarian crisis.

A quick internet search will reveal hundreds of images of protests, demonstrations, and even deplorable living conditions for many of the citizens within Venezuela. There are numerous challenges in providing food, water, and jobs for Venezuelans; healthcare has also not been left unscathed. Despite a significant amount of public outcry, President Nicolás Maduro has maintained that this is truly a conspiracy against his government led by the opposition and external countries like the U.S. With such a conviction, it should then become apparent why U.S.-based companies like General Motors have been caught up in the crossfire.

The seizure of plants and other foreign assets should be taken as a signal from the government that it does not intend to back down from its current stance. The victim of a conspired coup d’état. If we go back to our discussion on PEST, then what does this mean for the future of Venezuela? What about other countries that have certain degrees of political and social instability? The truth is that investors will always be weary of working in LDCs. Even if the Maduro government manages to turn things around and stabilize the country and the economy, the international brand of Venezuela has been severely tainted.

General Motors’ decision to exit the country and pursue legal remedies will result in thousands of job losses and millions of dollars worth of lost revenues and incomes for the country. This situation will negatively impact Venezuela’s ability to seek foreign direct investment or even loans on the international markets; making an already untenable situation worse. While Venezuela benefitted from having oil as an export resource, without the power to set prices the country will forever be at the mercy of market forces on its major revenue earner.

I believe that it is moments like these that politicians lose sleep over in trying to avoid. Coming from a small open economy called Barbados, I can empathize with the pain that poor economic prospects can lead to. News stations have been covering the General Motors seizure because of the direct impact it has on the U.S. economy. However, I want to close off by looking at it from another perspective. Can we not use this ordeal as a starting point to discuss the inherent power imbalances between the developed countries and the lesser developed countries? I am not advocating for the use of extreme force by LDCs to gain assets but rather, I would like to challenge the dependency that the world economy creates.

Politics and business are so interlinked that at many points the line separating them begins to blur. It is easy for us to sit back and think that we would not want to invest in Venezuela anytime soon, even after the crisis has passed. However, maybe we should actively look for ways to help other countries reduce their dependency. It may help to create more stable societies across the globe and provide one less factor to give rise to anarchy and dissent. Regardless of your position about General Motors and its plant seizure in Venezuela, the real pest in all of this is the continued pain of people living in countries dependent on external economic factors.
General Motors halts production in Venezuela after the government seizes its plants.