Venezuela gives back island to US

[Thrill]

Venezuela gives back island to US



The Venezuelan government has formally donated an island near Philadelphia back to the United States.

Petty Island, an uninhabited island some 528 acres (214 ha) in size, is situated in the Delaware River in the state of New Jersey.

It was bought by Venezuela's state-run energy company, PDVS, in 1990.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced the move at a regional summit last week as part of an improvement in ties between the two nations.

At the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago, President Chavez presented Barack Obama with a gift of a book: The Open Veins of Latin America by Eduardo Galeano.

The book is widely considered the bible of the Latin American left.

But the BBC's Will Grant, in Caracas, says Mr Chavez also gave Mr Obama something much bigger: Petty Island.

The Venezuelan government has used it for fuel storage and refinement since 1990.

Our correspondent says that in recent years the tiny island has been the subject of some controversy, with waterfront property developers pushing to construct a golf course, hotels and a casino on the site.

Environmental groups have opposed such measures, saying it has unique flora and fauna which must be conserved.

Now, as part of what the government has called a renewed spirit of co-operation between Venezuela and the US, Mr Chavez announced that the island would return to the US for environmental conservation projects.

While Mr Chavez's gift of a book to his US counterpart may have made headlines around the world and launched the publication up the New York Times bestseller list, the return of Petty Island may prove a more lasting donation our correspondent adds.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8013592.stm

[Snotcicles]

1. Heck, all he ever gave bush was the finger. nt

[DFW]

2. Fair enough: No more than what most of America wants to give Bush now

Chávez was just a little ahead of his time, that's all.

[lunatica]

12. He and 5 billions other people on the planet

Or are we up to 6 billion now?

[lunatica]

14. Ooooooh, this just twisted some GOP gut one more notch!

[rucky]

3. Now New Jersey is ALL OURS!

thanks, Hugo

[Bucky]

4. I think this may be a hoax. The sale of land cannot transfer sovereignty.

Land only changes nationality by conquest or treaty. Even if the Venezuela government owned that land, it would still be on US soil and any property owners there would have to pay property taxes (unless it has an exempted status as a church or other nonprofit organization).

[Thothmes]

5. Spot on, Venezuela has no legal claim of ownership

for this property. They cannot give it back to the United States, because it never left the ultimate ownership of the United States.

[Lex]

7. They certainly can purchase property. Just like an entity can.

Why can't they?

[Thothmes]

21. they may purchase the property just as anyone

may purchase the property. They cannot exercise legal jurisdiction over the property as if it were Venezulean territory. If it is within the the legal jurisdiction of the United States, it is subject to only the laws of the United States.

[Toucano]

11. Incorrect. n-t

[Lex]

6. They BOUGHT it. They had title to it.

They gave title back to the US.

[cali]

9. or back to NJ.

[Lex]

13. Not sure. Haven't seen the Deed.

nt

[cali]

15. you do understand that it was always U.S. territory

right? That Venezuela simply owned a piece of property. They didn't have sovereignty.

[Lex]

16. Of course. I'm not the one who was initially wondering how it could be

that they transferred title to the U.S. "how could he do that?" Well, a Deed usually does it.

[Bucky]

20. Well, the article was less than clear on that point

Taken at face value, the headline could be read to imply that Venezuela was giving the land to the US, when in fact the land was always part of the US. The only thing Chavez handed over was the title to the land.

Ironically, if the shoes were reversed, the Obama could not have just handed over title of some land to Venezuela's government. It would require approval by the Congress of our republic--a nicety that seems not to have held back Chavez from making this gesture.

[Occam Bandage]

8. They didn't transfer sovereignty, they transferred title. nt

[petronius]

19. It sounds like the writer wasn't entirely clear on the concept, or was being melodramatic

I hope that means that the island will go into a federal conservation program of some sort, and not just be sold off for development...

[Occam Bandage]

10. Appeasement!

:crazy:

[ContinentalOp]

17. Don't accept it Obama!

That island now has the dreaded RED COOTIES!

[lunatica]

18. How will Sean Hannity have to twist this one to be outraged?

I'm sure we'll find out

[Yavin4]

22. Then Again, This Is New Jersey We're Talking About Here

I was hoping for some beachfront property in Venezuela.