Baseball, a mainstay of recreation life in the Four Corners, is the No. 1 sport in Venezuela.
And several local companies such as ConocoPhillips in Farmington have their employee rosters dotted with people who have lived or worked in Venezuela as part of their job in the booming oil-and-gas industry.
The unsuspecting student of world affairs might be surprised to learn how many links there are between New Mexico and the South American nation of Venezuela.
"The governor was just there," an aide to Gov. Bill Richardson pointed out.
Immigration, obviously, is a longtime fact of life for New Mexicans. Not only do thousands of Mexicans seek passage across the Mexico-New Mexico border each year, but many more come from further south in Latin America. They see New Mexico as a popular gateway state into the United States.
Not all come simply in search of a better job, and in fact, many South Americans leave good jobs
Many envious Venezuelans come in search of freedom.
"I'm not a rich person. My mother gave me a small piece of land," said Maria. "But the government took it."
So endangered and negatively labeled would be Maria if properly identified, her name is changed here to protect her. Such is life for someone in Venezuela looking to leave for greener pastures.
"People with second homes are selling them because they don't know if they will be taken," she said.
Even more troublesome is the reign of violence. "In the night time, we're in — what do you call it? — a state of siege," she said.
Led by President Hugo Chavez, who considers Fidel Castro of Cuba as a father-like mentor, Venezuela has adopted a largely socialist government. Several industries, such as the oil and cement businesses, were stripped from private ownership or control and placed under the direction of state-controlled supervision of the government.
Likewise for various media entities that had chosen not to support government philosophy, placing a serious threat on the freedom of speech here and the voice of opposition.
Business leaders grow more concerned day by day.
"The size of the Venezuelan economy is so small that if you don't work with the government, you are dead," said Oscar Garcia Mendoza, one of the country's leading bankers.
The socialist state of affairs and political favoritism has sent experienced professionals such as oil-and-gas engineers and business investors, including those from New Mexico, packing, he said. "I think Venezuela's situation is extremely serious."
Others share similar views. "If you own a farm, you never know if you own a farm," said businessman Silvano Gelleni, who criticizes the Chavez government for its lack of investment in the country's infrastructure, despite it raking in billions of dollars each year through oil revenues.
"Can you imagine trying to run a plant when all the electricity stops three times a week?" he asked.
Chavez is quick to counter such arguments, saying publicly that he welcomes the free speech and debate with his critics, but acting behind the scenes to grasp firmer control.
"His focus is staying in power," not dealing with the country's economic, social and infrastructure woes, said Jorge Redmond, a giant in the country's beloved chocolate industry.
Chavez is able to stay in power because he exercises a populist style of leadership, in which he tries to win the hearts of his poorer countrymen who jealously view the success of private business owners with resentment, observers here say.
Chavez also is popular for his stand against the centuries-old perception of imperialism by the United States and European countries. Voters from the fields of jungle borders to the barrios of Caracas remember this when they go to the polls.
However, those with more education and certainly with more ambition, such as Maria, think Chavez and his style of leadership are ruining their nation, and they resent their loss of freedom.
"Chavez is not the Gandhi of South America," she says in a matter-of-fact tone.
Maria has spent many hours standing in long lines at government offices trying desperately to get permission to become an American.
All of her family already has moved to Mexico, Australia or the U.S.
However, she is denied permission by her own government each time. She thinks there is an intentional effort to keep her from emigrating.
"I believe Chavez hates us," she flatly says in a discouraged tone.
Troy Turner is the editor of The Daily Times. He can be contacted at P.O. Box 450, Farmington, N.M., 87499; or at tturner@daily-times.com.
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