Chavez has his eye on Esequibo. His position is that a 1899 treaty giving a mineral-rich region called Esequibo to Guyana was "null and provocative." This is where Beal Aerospace was going to build a launch facility.
"This cannot remain in limbo for much longer, we have to solve this situation," said Chavez, after talking by telephone with National Assembly President William Lara who headed the delegation. Lara, a staunch Chavez supporter, insisted that "we do not have a hostile stance. This is not an unfriendly gesture toward Guyana or anyone." - (July 23, 2001)--sohu.com
December 12, 2001 - Russia in Venezuela shopping for launch facility site***Russian-Venezuelan trade totals $100 million a year. The Russian delegation, including Oil Vice Minister Leonid Tropko, was expected to sign pacts on tourism, Russian investment and exploring the possibility of a commercial satellite launching facility in Venezuela. They will depart Saturday.***
June 11, 2001 - Bill GertzChina secretly shipping Cuba arms*** A 1996 amendment to the 1962 Foreign Assistance Act requires that economic sanctions be imposed on any nation or company that provides lethal military assistance to a nation designated as a state sponsor of terrorism. Cuba is on the State Department´s list of nine nations designated as supporters of global terrorism.
Sanctions would disrupt a major portion of the U.S.-Chinese shipping market controlled by Cosco, whose business lines include port terminals and warehousing, insurance, real estate and hotel management.
Cuba has been increasing its ties to China in recent months. In April, Chinese President Jiang Zemin traveled to Havana and signed agreements worth about $400 million in loans to Havana.
Other Chinese activities in Cuba include electronic eavesdropping on the United States and Chinese government radio broadcasting, according to U.S. officials familiar with intelligence reports. China also recently agreed to modernize Cuba´s telecommunications network.***
Thanks for the info. The government of Guyana is nigh-on useless, and also heavily infiltrated. So action here will likely involve us, The Netherlands, France,and England. No wonder Chavez is trying to buy MiGs!