we all know how Hugo thinks and operates don't we. Not rational.

Yes....but we also know how he likes to kiss up to Russians bearing arms...in fact...he and Sanz have alluded publically to the fact that 'Las Cristinas' was going to the Russians. He also has acknowledged that the MOC is "a problem"....so if a deal can somehow get done that transfers control of Las Cristinas to the Russians while eliminating the conservatively estimated two billion dollar IA exposure (while at the same time filling the central bank vaults with gold, developing tax revenues, employing thousands of miners and addressing a growing pre-election PR problem), then even an ignorant sociopath like Chavez may stumble upon the correct solution to the problems at hand. Hell....even an amoeba swims away from an electrical shock.