The state of Zulia in northwest Venezuela has oil, cattle, and mostly conservative politics and has been called the “Texas of Venezuela.” The nickname comes from a news story in the April 6, 2006 Miami (FL) Herald.
   
   
Wikipedia: Zulia
Estado Zulia is one of Venezuela’s 23 states (estados). The state capital is Maracaibo. The state covers a total surface area of 63,100 km² and, in 2007, had an estimated population of 3,620,200. It is located in the northwestern part of the country.
     
6 April 2006, Miami (FL) Herald, pg. 1A:
More self-rule sought for the oil-rich “Texas of Venezuela”
A small group in the Venezuelan state of Zulia—a state critical to the nation’s oil industry—has caused a stir by pushing for more autonomy.
BY STEVEN DUDLEY
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MARACAIBO, Venezuela - The state of Zulia has always thought of itself as the Texas of Venezuela—a land dominated by oil, cattle and largely conservative politicians. So it’s no surprise that some of its people would want more autonomy.
 
’‘We want our own government,’’ said Nestor Surez, an economics professor and president of the pro-autonomy group Own Way. ``We are against big central governments.’‘
 
That central government, of course, is run by President Hugo Chavez, whose politics and economics are moving toward socialism in the mold of Cuba—expanding social-service programs and seizing some ‘‘idle’’ lands and factories.