You have stated it very well, fits my sentiment also.

Chavez is banking on oil being well above 100$ and presumably he spent his money accordingly. Now with an income pinch comming in he has to scramble.
My assumption is that the call to Belanger ( I have not heard the conference call yet but only comments of others. ) was a feeler as to where Doug stands regarding a possible merger of the companies. That merger has to occur imho because of the copper at KRY. I do not expect KRY to ever get a permit until that issue is taken care of. It can be taken care of by our mine or less likely by KRY modifying their mine. Fat chance with their cash/dillution problems.
So Vz has to step in or a big cap buying both companies out. With KRY not owning the resource a big cap is not likely to buy them out and with Vz playing politics a big cap is likely to be shy of making a deal with CVG.

Chavez needs political points with the upcomming election, that is the incentive. I suspect a Vz offer in October. Some hope for September but this is Vz so things will not go so fast, if it were not for the election we would have to wait until next year and yet that may turn out to be so.
I am of the opinion that it is not the expropriations that will be Hugo's down fall as that he has misspent his fortune. The voting minions have little patience after he has had his chance and not enough results to show for it. Rhetoric will cary a crowd only so far then you have to show them the meat.

Oil may drop to 75$ but winter is comming so it will likely be well above 100$ by then.