CARACAS - Latin America analysts are speculating that Hugo Chavez may be seeing a bit of unrest in the Venezuelan military, after he announced a 50% increase in their salaries today. 

During a meeting between Chavez and National Armed Forces today, Chavez said that the military "deserves" the pay increase. "You deserve it for all the work that you do, that is so hard to do," he added.

Chavez also said that the increase would be retroactive from September 1. "We have to pay September, October, and then comes the impact on bonuses and all that," he added, and also called for the elimination of downpayments when military families buy homes and cars.

Chavez has placed Cuban informers within military units, and has often purged the military of anyone that he felt was disloyal to his governing program of "Bolivarian Socialism." So such a large pay increase for the military just a year ahead of an election has led to speculation that Chavez may be fearing greater dissent within the ranks.