Oil As A Way Of Helping The Poor
Environmental Graffiti says of Hugo Chavez' offer through petrocaribe to allow less developed nations to buy oil with the resources they have, "Lets see what mischief he gets up to before then (i.e. his forced retirement in 2012)". This is a nice display of the motives of developed nations, even of their "green" citizens, who want to keep the undeveloped nations from using their own resources rather than letting the developed world exploit them. It is the "green" activists who are naive enough to buy into that activity openly.
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A Barrel of Oil for a Banana Please
Posted: 23 Dec 2007 10:14 AM CST in Environmental Graffiti
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has said Central American and Caribbean states could pay for oil with services or products like bananas and sugar.
Speaking at the Petrocaribe summit of oil consumers and exporters, Mr Chavez said that he wanted to extend the arrangement Venezuela currently has with Cuba, to all 17 states they supply oil to.
Venezuela and Cuba currently run a scheme where Cuba gets 100,000 barrels of subsidised oil, and in return, Venezuela receives the services of thousands of Cuban doctors and teachers for free. Thereby getting a free highly skilled workforce, without having to pay for it, whilst also receiving (a reduced) payment for the oil it exports.
Mr Chavez seems to be cashing in on the rising oil prices, which many fragile Central American economies are struggling with. Surprisingly, Venezuela has the largest oil reserves outside the Middle East, and is moving itself into a position of great political power. This is especially poignant for the US as Venezuela is its main oil supplier. What is more worrying is the apparent ‘friendship’ between Mr Chavez and the ageing Cuban President, Fidel Castro.
Mr Chavez led a colourful past before his appointment as President. After two fail coup attempts in 1992, Mr Chavez moved from paratrooper to politician, and gained the presidency in 1998. He has been followed by a wave of controversy ever since, after making high-profile visits to Cuba and Iraq, and repeatedly showing his alliance with Fidel Castro. There have also been reports of the US government instigating a coup of their own to over throw him, due to its vast oil reserves. Currently Mr Chavez will remain in power until 2012, when Venezuelan law dictates that he must stand down. Lets see what mischief he gets up to before then.
.......................
A Barrel of Oil for a Banana Please
Posted: 23 Dec 2007 10:14 AM CST in Environmental Graffiti
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has said Central American and Caribbean states could pay for oil with services or products like bananas and sugar.
Speaking at the Petrocaribe summit of oil consumers and exporters, Mr Chavez said that he wanted to extend the arrangement Venezuela currently has with Cuba, to all 17 states they supply oil to.
Venezuela and Cuba currently run a scheme where Cuba gets 100,000 barrels of subsidised oil, and in return, Venezuela receives the services of thousands of Cuban doctors and teachers for free. Thereby getting a free highly skilled workforce, without having to pay for it, whilst also receiving (a reduced) payment for the oil it exports.
Mr Chavez seems to be cashing in on the rising oil prices, which many fragile Central American economies are struggling with. Surprisingly, Venezuela has the largest oil reserves outside the Middle East, and is moving itself into a position of great political power. This is especially poignant for the US as Venezuela is its main oil supplier. What is more worrying is the apparent ‘friendship’ between Mr Chavez and the ageing Cuban President, Fidel Castro.
Mr Chavez led a colourful past before his appointment as President. After two fail coup attempts in 1992, Mr Chavez moved from paratrooper to politician, and gained the presidency in 1998. He has been followed by a wave of controversy ever since, after making high-profile visits to Cuba and Iraq, and repeatedly showing his alliance with Fidel Castro. There have also been reports of the US government instigating a coup of their own to over throw him, due to its vast oil reserves. Currently Mr Chavez will remain in power until 2012, when Venezuelan law dictates that he must stand down. Lets see what mischief he gets up to before then.
posted by Karl Eklund at 6:53 PM
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