>
> Cuba is where it is today because there was a USSR when it "delinked"
> from the circuits of capital. Without cheap oil and other aid, not to
> mention military defense, Castro's government probably wouldn't have
> lasted a year. That option isn't available to anyone today.
>
Venezuela is offering that option in the region, and you see what happens? We sic Pat Robertson on them, and THEN he gets ignored by the left. =8'<
[All clips from my Venezuela feed < http://www.leighm.net/vnnws.htm >:
The Reporter [Belize] <...> Venezuela's latest initiative to gain favour among the countries of the Americas has been to offer them Venezuelan oil at a discounted price.
Venezuela has also agreed to provide loans to Belize to enable the government of Belize to buy back Belize Water Services shares from Cascal, the British company which now wants "out" from its Belize investment. <...> http://www.reporter.bz/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=591&Itemid=2
or this: [Antigua Sun]
No possible rift with Trinidad: Jamaica
Friday August 26 2005
KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC) - The Jamaica government has downplayed the possibility of a rift with its fellow Caribbean Community (Caricom) partner, Trinidad & Tobago, following the signing of an oil agreement with Venezuela.
Prime Minister P. J. Patterson has dismissed arguments that the agreement with Caracas would be harmful to Jamaica-Trinidad & Tobago relations, in respect to the purchase of oil and other energy products from that twin-island republic.
He said Kingston would still need to purchase refined products from Port-of-Spain to meet market demand.
The main opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Wednesday said it supported the oil agreement signed with Venezuela under the so-called PetroCaribe initiative. <...> http://www.antiguasun.com/paper/?as=view&sun=200124107608272005&an=294949088908262005&ac=Regional
or...
AP Worldstream
08-24-2005
Dateline: MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez arrived in Jamaica on Tuesday to discuss the South American nation's proposal to supply oil to Caribbean countries under favorable financial terms.
Chavez met privately with Jamaican Prime Minister P.J. Patterson after arriving in the northern resort town of Montego Bay from Cuba.
The two leaders were meeting to work out the details of the PetroCaribe initiative, Venezuela's proposal to provide petroleum to 13 Caribbean countries under flexible payment terms.
"We came here to firmly advance the Jamaica-Venezuela-Petrocaribe energy alliance and, moreover, Caribbean integration and South American integration," Chavez said after arriving in remarks carried by state-run station Venezolana de Television.
Later Tuesday, Chavez and Patterson were expected to sign a bilateral agreement committing Venezuela to increase oil exports to Jamaica and upgrading a refinery's production capacity from 30,000 barrels a day to 50,000 barrels a day. Venezuela has also agreed to contribute US$60 million to a fund for socio-economic projects in Jamaica.
Venezuelan officials have been touring several Caribbean countries to follow up on the PetroCaribe agreement signed in June. The deal, which is meant to help small Caribbean economies cope with high fuel prices, offers generous financing for oil sales and favorable rates in exchange good, services or credit.
Venezuela is the world's fifth largest oil exporter and the biggest in the Western Hemisphere. <...> http://www.highbeam.com/library/doc3.asp?docid=1P1:112433875
Like Cuba, The U.S. is the only country in the world that seems to have a problem with Venezuela & Hugo Chavez. And deals are being done that are problems for U.S. hegemony in the region, more perhaps, than Fidel ever managed to create, and I believe, as one news analysis put it, "Castro is passing the anti-imperialist mantle to Hugo Chavez...".
A worthy successor with enough oil wealth to kick Goliath in the shins.
I read that Chavez wants to reduce the Venezualan national debt by 5% next year, from 40 to 35%, preparing for an economic, as well as military war. http://moneycentral.msn.com/inc/news/providerredir.asp?feed=AP&Date=20050826&ID=5067408 [Courtesy Vheadlines]
Saturday, August 27, 2005 Dallas Morning News: Fearing U.S. attack, Venezuela boosts its reserve forces
100,000 have enlisted; Washington calls talk of invasion unfounded
08:18 AM CDT on Saturday, August 27, 2005
By JENS ERIK GOULD / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
LOS TEQUES, Venezuela - Marialena Morón always wanted to be a soldier. A 44-year old mother of six, she spends her Saturday mornings learning how to salute in the hot sun. Beside her are 250 men and women -18-year-olds next to senior citizens - lined up in formation on an overgrown soccer field south of Caracas. http://leighmdotnet.blogspot.com/2005/08/dallas-morning-news-fearing-us-attack.html
My favorite pundit, Travus T. Hipp speculates Venezuela is where the *WAR* is going to return to the Americas... The drug-link/MS-13 blahblah has been linked officially to AQ terrorism(right!), and you can be damned sure the US isn't going to attack Columbia.
Leigh