Chavez orders army to seize Venezuela rice mills

President Hugo Chavez on Saturday ordered troops to temporarily seize control of all Venezuelan rice processing plants to ensure they produce at full capacity amid soaring inflation and persisting reports of food shortages.

Chavez told the National Guard to "take control of and intervene in all of these businesses that process rice in Venezuela," including at least a half-dozen local and foreign private companies.

"This government is here to protect the people, not the bourgeoisie or the rich," Chavez said, accusing some companies of slowing production to evade price caps that have slashed their profit margins. He did not say what the takeover would involve or how long it would last.