Cuban leadership trusts Venezuelan oil and financial aid will continue to pour in

Thursday, March 7th 2013 - 06:56 UTC

Full article 12 comments

A common photo release: the Castro brothers with Chavez

A mix of sorrow, self-interest and dread took hold of Cuba as word spread like wildfire that Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, who had done so much for the country, was dead. While the official newscast devoted its entire program to events unfolding in Caracas, the government reaction was slow in coming.

Later on Tuesday evening Cuba declared three days of mourning, and eulogized Chávez saying his “Bolivarian Revolution” was “irreversible” and that Cuba would continue to “accompany Venezuelans in their struggles.”

Chavez's resolute ideological embrace of Cuba helped propel the once isolated Castro brothers regime back into the centre of regional politics, and oil-rich Venezuela's largesse under Chavez proved a life saver for the embargoed and near bankrupt Caribbean island after the collapse of its long-time benefactor, the Soviet Union.

Even so, analysts do not expect Chavez's death to have any short-term impact for Cuba.

“I'm sure the Cubans are concerned, but I don't think this will be a game changer for the Cubans. They have weathered worse storms before,” said Frank Mora, former deputy assistant secretary of defence for Western Hemisphere Affairs in the first Obama administration.

Chavez is viewed in Cuba as an irreplaceable leader of the region and ‘saviour of socialism’, portrayed day and night by official media as a champion of regional unity, independence and the island.

During his two-year battle with cancer, Chavez had four operations in Cuba and spent months receiving treatment on the island.

Soon after Chavez won his first election in 1998, Fidel Castro anointed the young and vitriolic firebrand as his revolutionary successor in Latin America.

President Raul Castro, who replaced his ailing brother in 2008, has strengthened relations with Venezuela even as he forged closer ties with other oil-producing nations such as Brazil, Angola, Algeria and Russia.

According to Venezuelan opposition, Cuba receives 100.000 barrels of oil per day plus financial support to the tune of several billion dollars. In last October’s campaign much of the opposition strategy was not to criticize Chavez and his populist policies but rather play the nationalist tune: billions spent in Cuba (and other countries) which are much needed among the needy in Venezuela, plus massive infrastructure to keep oil pumping.

Likewise with the growing Cuban influence in different areas of the Venezuelan government, including military and intelligence affairs, plus the fact that the Castro brothers knew more about Chavez health situation than the Venezuelans.

The campaign was successful: 45% of the vote, 6.5 million ballots and the best for the opposition ever.

Categories: Economy, Energy & Oil, Politics, Latin America, Venezuela.

Tags: Cuba, Frank Mora, Hugo Chávez, Raúl Castro, Venezuela, Venezuelan oil and financial aid.

Top Comments

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LEPRecon
The Cubans don't trust, they just pray that Venezuela's new President (when he/she is elected) will continue to support them financially.

The real problem is that Venezuela is in a bit of a financial bind right now, and really can't afford to keep haemorrhaging money out of Venezuela to countries like Cuba and Argentina, when they know that they have little chance of them actually paying it back.

Just like the Russians are now worried that Venezuela's new leader might cancel the orders for military equipment.

Times are uncertain, and will remain uncertain until after the Presidential election.

There is no guarantee that Maduro will be voted in, because lets face it, he's no Chavez. Also I believe that the Venezuelan people are very upset with his handling of Chavez's illness. By telling them he was getting better and would be back in charge soon, was stupid and cowardly, and thus made the news of his death worse for some.

Honesty in this situation would've been the best policy.

Also the insane policy of trying to blame the USA for his death is ridiculous, and will be seen as ridiculous by any clear minded citizen of Venezuela.

They'll start thinking to themselves, do we really want this buffoon as our president?
Mar 07th, 2013 - 07:10 am 0
ChrisR
@1

I agree, but buffoons abound in SA, some of them are even Presidents.

Given the emotional hysteria surrounding Dead Man Now Deads' death, I suspect that 30 days may be insuffient for clear thinking by the masses to emerge, if ever.

The bus driver is clearly a supreme idiot and I would imagine that when the army wake up to the reality of that, there may be an army 'solution' to the problem.

Another Lt. Col. at the helm perhaps?

Mind you, I think Cuba will be screwed either way as the new President will want to throw money at the masses for the first few years.

And why they want Russian crap is beyond me, you only have to look at the Indian experience to see the inbuilt problems and extra costs of this junk.

But I suppose no other country is going to supply these whack jobs with fighters, OH! FRANCE could always step in.
Mar 07th, 2013 - 10:57 am 0
yankeeboy
Good gracious I hope they don't turn off the tap for Cuba! I really don't want any more of them in Miami we are already overrun with 1/2 of South America down there.
Mar 07th, 2013 - 01:08 pm 0

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