Venezuela banks profit under Chávez (The New York Times)

Still, the banks may be thriving too much for the government's liking. Chávez warned last month that the state could take over the sector if it did not offer low-cost financing to domestic industries. Among the institutions that would be affected by such a move are Citigroup, which is based in the United States, and the Spanish banks Santander and BBVA, which control lucrative outlets here.

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