The Venezuelan government of U.S.-critic President Hugo Chavez ordered Coca-Cola Co to withdraw its Coke Zero beverage from the South American nation, citing unspecified dangers to health. These unspecified dangers to health have been known to the U.S. for many years. For one, it's chocked full of caffeine, and you can't run an orderly revolution when your people are jacked up on Coke. For another, it makes people sing corny songs. (See below.)
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. And the cans crushed under the feet of revolutionaries.
"The product should be withdrawn from circulation to preserve the health of Venezuelans," the minister said in comments reported by the government's news agency. "We suspect Coke is causing our people to behave like capitalists."
Despite Chavez's anti-capitalist policies and rhetoric against consumerism, oil-exporting Venezuela remains one of Latin America's most Americanized cultures, with U.S. fast-food chains, shopping malls and baseball all highly popular. But Coke...now that's different. Artificial sweeteners don't sit well with Venazualians.
Neither Coca-Cola nor the bottler responded to requests for comment on Wednesday. The bottler was plagued with labor problems last year in Venezuela when former workers repeatedly blocked its plants demanding back pay to which Coke responded with a firm, "We're trying to teach the world to sing."
The government this year has seized a rice mill and pasta factory belonging to U.S. food giant Cargill and has threatened action against U.S. drug company Pfizer on the grounds that their medicines are detrimental to the people's health.
Coke has sent Bono and Brad Pitt as envoys to help resolve this matter.
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