Chavez Says Venezuela Will Produce "Bolivarian Computers"

Associated Press

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Tuesday
his government will manufacture "Bolivarian computers" affordable to
all Venezuelans — the latest initiative in honor of a Latin American
independence hero that inspires his leftist revolution.

"We will begin producing computers in Venezuela ... the project of
the Bolivarian computers," Chavez said in televised remarks.

Chavez says he is leading his country toward a socialist revolution
inspired by Simon Bolivar, a 19th-century independence hero who
sought to unite South American nations.

The Venezuelan leader, who is a fierce critic of capitalism, said
that brand name computers are too expensive and that the project
seeks to make computers more accessible to all Venezuelans.

The Bolivarian computers will sell for anywhere between 900,000
bolivars and 1 million bolivars, Chavez said.

Under his "Bolivarian Revolution," Chavez has launched a range of
socialist-inspired initiatives, including free education promoting
leftist ideology at campuses across the country and deals to supply
oil on preferential terms to Venezuela's neighbors as part of a
"Bolivarian Alternative" trade pact.

A new company will be created, Technological Industries of Venezuela,
that will form a joint venture with China's Lang Chao International
Ltd. to produce the computers.

Venezuela will provide an initial investment of 17.2 billion
bolivars, Chavez said.

The company is expected to begin production before the end of the
year and plans to produce as much as 80,000 computers in the first
year, said Chavez.

A total of 100,000 should be produced during the second year of
operations and as much as 150,000 during the third year, according to
the president.

The president said the new computer company will eventually
manufacture laptop computers and cell phones as well.

His announcement comes about a week after Massachusetts Institute of
Technology researchers unveiled the design for $100 laptop computers
being developed for children in developing countries. The durable
machines' AC adapter would double as a carrying strap, and a hand
crank would power them when there's no electricity, the researchers
said.