The acting president announced that Venezuelan state assets would be divided into four categories: strategic ones to remain under state control, “strategic alliances” where the state retains ownership but management is turned over to the private sector in concession-type deals, “non-strategic” assets to be fully privatized; and assets to be liquidated or reincorporated elsewhere.

The question then becomes where the line is for a "strategic" asset. In the article a consultant suggests steel and cement as sectors that can see (partial) privatisation, perhaps the "derelict factories" you refer to.

From what I understand there has already been an unstable mix of state and private control in various primary sectors, a tug-of-war that the PSUV wasn't able to overcome before a 10+ year string of crises and sanctions put the "Venezualan path to socialism" on shaky ground (sometimes literally). So this would be more like a shittier version of the status quo rather than a full 180, in my view.

My overall impression of Rodriguez' government is of one backed into a corner and determining itself too weak for maintaining the status quo and gambling with concessions to build up better conditions and morale. Hence viewing themselves as Lenin with Brest-Litovsk or Deng with Reform and Opening Up. The fate of that gamble is uncertain and will also determine if Chavismo failed in its bet on bending the bourgeois state rather than overthrowing it, as that rendered it vulnerable when the crises hit.

[–] Jabril@hexbear.net 12 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

All we can look to is what we know, and unfortunately there has been little detail made publicly available. What we do know, is that they are clearly differentiating between what they think is important to keep and what they are willing to sacrifice in order to be seen as "changed enough" to continue getting sanctions lifted, economic stimulus, infrastructure repair, and they are openly trying to get the gold back as well. They are absolutely backed in a corner but they are pretty clearly negotiating from a position that still maintains a desire to get something that will benefit Venezuela, which we've already seen in their ability to turn back on entire electricity plants that had been shuttered due to sanctions, restoring electricity that has been unstable for years to millions of people. They have already rebuilt and repaired hundreds of homes since the earthquakes. They have stabilized inflation, increased economic input, and made a lot of promises that they seem keen on delivering.

As far as what each asset is, the only public articles I've seen so far have said that every oil, gas, and mineral contract so far as been a lease, as well as the only factories I've seen mentioned. Every single one is described as a 15-30 year contract which essentially means a private company is going to rebuild and repair industry that has been shut down because of sanctions, or build new infrastructure. In every case, the lease is with the state company. This is all the info I've been able to find, if someone else sees any evidence of anything specific being privatized, we can look at it when it happens. China has private businesses, small businesses, factory owners, etc. A country decimated by decades of sanctions bringing in private investment to non-essential assets isn't the death knell of a movement made up of millions of people.