“There is no reason or justification for this arbitrary measure,” Empresas Polar’s chairman, Lorenzo Mendoza, said in a statement calling on the government to walk back the move targeting Alimentos Polar, the company’s food unit, which manufactures many Venezuelan staples including corn flour dough. By Luc Cohen. Full text-> Reuters

Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said the government would also assume supervision of Empresas Polar, the national food giant and Venezuela’s largest privately held company headed by Lorenzo Mendoza. Ham-maker Plumrose Latinoamerica will also be supervised. By Patricia Laya and Alex Vasquez. Full text -> Bloomberg

Decades of socialist-style control devastated the economy. Now, capitalism is back, helping keep the country afloat — and Nicolás Maduro in power. One deal was the cornerstone of that transformation. Offices in Caracas of the food conglomerate Polar. The Venezuelan government harassed the company  until its owner stopped criticizing the president.By Anatoly Kurmanaev. Full text -> BingePost