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Article: Venezuelan troops grab farms from Lord 'Spam' Vestey Left-wing rulers prepare to send army to occupy 32,000-acre ranch owned by family food empire for more than a century
- Article from:
- The Sunday Telegraph London
- Article date:
- January 9, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2005 The Sunday Telegraph London. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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TROOPS WERE preparing yesterday to seize a 32,000-acre ranch owned
by one of Britain's richest men as the Left-wing leaders of Venezuela
stepped up their controversial "land grab" policy.
The ranch, which is set in rich cattle-rearing land close to the
Venezuelan capital of Caracas, is owned by Lord Vestey, whose
personal wealth from his family's food empire is estimated at pounds
750 million. The peer, who is known as "Spam" to his friends, is said
by his associates to be saddened and angered by the threat to his
ranch. He is, however, understood to be resigned to the Venezuelan
government's "illegal" actions.
This weekend, Lord Vestey, 63, declined to discuss details of the
land seizure ...