Cuba protests ouster of Venezuela's Chavez

yahoo ^ | Apr 13,2002 10:42 AM ET | ANITA SNOW, AP

[Cincinatus' Wife]

HAVANA - Reeling from the loss of its closest regional ally, the Cuban government rallied thousands of people on Saturday to protest the ouster of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and efforts by nine other Latin American neighbors to censure Cuba for its human rights record.

"The truth is that in Venezuela they have had a coup," Bruno Rodriguez, Cuba's ambassador to the United Nations, told the crowd gathered for the government's regular rally, this week held in the community of Guira de Melena, in Havana province outside the capital.

President Fidel Castro, who considered Chavez a friend, attended the rally in the front row of the crowd, but did not speak. Castro has not yet spoken publicly about Chavez's ouster.

Cuban leader Fidel Castro jokes with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, right, in this Aug.12, 2001 file photo as he arrives at a dinner organized by Chavez to celebrate Castro's 75th birthday in Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela. Chavez, the former army paratrooper who polarized Venezuela with his strongarm rule and whose friendship with Cuba and Iraq irritated the United States, resigned under military pressure Friday, April 12, 2002 after a massive opposition demonstration ended in a bloodbath. (AP photo/Jose Goitia)

Vice President Carlos Lage and Castro's older brother Ramon were among other well-known figures in the crowd, which the government estimated at 15,000 people.

Rodriguez criticized the United States for not condemning Chavez's overthrow, saying that "the Yankees are almost always behind coups ... and install dictators."

The Cuban ambassador also expressed concern for Chavez's safety, citing reports from the ousted leader's daughter, Maria Gabriela Chavez, who said her father had been taken to an undisclosed location.

Rodriguez also criticized a proposal by Latin American nations led by Uruguay to censure Cuba in the coming days before the United Nations Human Rights Commission meeting in Geneva.

The ambassador asked what the rights commission planned to do about the Chavez's ouster, which he characterized as the illegal removal of a democratically elected president by Venezuela's "oligarchs."

Castro once referred to Chavez as "a man worthy of admiration and support," and the men appeared to share a true mutual admiration and affection.

Following the leftist Chavez's 1998 election, Castro visited Venezuela three times, most recently in August when he celebrated his 75th birthday.

Chavez's detractors had accused him of trying to "Cubanize" the country, but Chavez's supporters said that his "Bolivarian Revolution" was original and did not imitate any other nation's model.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

EX-president of Venezuelan state oil company accuses government of eroding morale ***Other bones of contention were the central government's demand that the company hand over $4.4 billion in dividends last year, forcing PDVSA to borrow $500 million to pay the bill; and the oil sales to Cuba, whose leader, Fidel Castro, is Chavez's longtime mentor. · Chavez has insisted that oil sales continue to Cuba, despite an unpaid $97 million bill for past sales. ***

Venezuela's turmoil is disrupting oil supplies *** The oil company told its international clients Wednesday morning that it could not meet its export commitments. Workers have refused to load tankers with oil and other products since April 3. A New York trader told The Herald that over 28 tankers were waiting offshore for loading.

''They have shut down oil production completely because they do not have anywhere to put the oil,'' the trader said on condition of anonymity. ``Only two tankers have been dispatched since Wednesday, one to Cuba, and the other I don't know where.''***

Venezuela's Power Shift Condemned****Chavez's ouster threw into doubt the budding trade relationship between the two countries. Venezuela is Cuba's No. 1 trade partner. Venezuela had been exporting 53,000 barrels of oil to Cuba daily at preferential terms. CNN's Spanish language network showed Edgar Paredes of Venezuela's oil company saying on Friday, "We aren't going to send a single barrel more to Cuba."****

__________________________________

Iran Sees U.S. Behind Chavez's Venezuela Ouster

I expect next we'll be hearing from North Korea, Libya and Iraq.

[Kobyashi1942]

If Bush was serious about his "War on Terrorism" he would target that rat b@stard Castro next. I just don't think GW is serious though.

[fhayek]

"We aren't going to send a single barrel more to Cuba."

lol. Perhaps its time Mr. Castro picks up a copy of The Wealth of Nations.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Otto Juan Reich is. And Bush gave him a recess appt.

Reich vows to defend Cuba embargo: 'Murderous regime' criticized in wide-ranging policy statement- Miami Herald-[Excerpt] WASHINGTON - The State Department's new point man for Latin America pledged Tuesday to stave off any attempt to relax a U.S. trade embargo that would throw ''a lifeline to a failed, corrupt, dictatorial, murderous regime'' in Cuba.

Striking a new chord in U.S. policy toward the Americas, Reich said Washington views corruption as a major obstacle to progress, and has mounted an aggressive campaign to yank U.S. visas of corrupt officials.

While touching on a variety of regional issues, Reich, who was born in Cuba and fled the island for the United States shortly after the 1959 revolution, was most emphatic about retaining the U.S. embargo of Cuba.

''We're not going to help Fidel Castro stay in power by opening up our markets to Cuba,'' he said. ``We're not going to do it.''

Reich said the Bush administration goal is ''a free and democratic Cuba as rapidly and peacefully as possible.'' Relaxing trade restrictions and ''providing economic succor'' to the Castro government would only delay achieving the goal, he said.

''Cuban people are no different than other people in Latin America. They just want to be free,'' Reich said.

Reich said the Castro regime ''makes a mockery of freedom and imposes tyranny on its people.'' He noted that a broad review of U.S. policy toward Cuba is under way, and said the Bush administration wants to bolster ``the growing pro-freedom movement inside Cuba.''[End Excerpt]

[Cincinatus' Wife]

The rat is getting close to being caged. I understand there are some nice ones on the American side of the island.

[Calvin Locke]

"The truth is that in Venezuela they have had a coup,"

AND???? Guess he forgot how Castro came to power.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

LOL!

[Ranger]

Castro has two problems:

1. No obvious source of oil except perhaps Iran or Libya.

2. His people now have an example. They see a successful peoples' revolt in Venezuela and can draw a parallel to their own miserable situation.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

He also has Jimmy Carter coming to town. I can't see Carter as anything but trouble.

[fhayek]

1. No obvious source of oil except perhaps Iran or Libya.

One might assume that even Iran or Libya would want to be paid for their oil.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Bump!

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Venezuela syncrude challenging Mideast oil in U.S.--[Excerpt] The first shipment of Sincor will go to TotalFinaElf's refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, this month. Sincor is expected to hit full production by the end of the year.

U.S. refiner Ultramar Diamond Shamrock Corp., a unit of Valero Energy Corp. has signed a three-year contract to take 45,000 bpd of the new ``Zuata Sweet'' crude to its Three Rivers refinery near Corpus Christi, Texas.

While analysts and oil companies warn that new oil terms put in place under Venezuela's new hydrocarbon's law may prevent further heavy oil investment, the Ministry of Energy and Mines said the tar belt would provide stable supply for decades.

``We have oil in the Orinoco to last for the next 35 to 40 years,'' said a Ministry spokesman. [End Excerpt]

[backhoe]

Cuba libre! Next!

[fhayek]

And some people say that there is no God. lol

[jalisco555]

His people now have an example. They see a successful peoples' revolt in Venezuela and can draw a parallel to their own miserable situation

You've hit on the real reason that thugs from Havana to Tehran are so upset over Chavez's ouster. These things can no longer be kept secret from oppressed people. This may be 1989 all over again.

[Free the USA]

Check the Bump List folders for articles related to and descriptions of the above topic(s) or for other topics of interest.

[A. Pole]

You've hit on the real reason that thugs from Havana to Tehran are so upset over Chavez's ouster. These things can no longer be kept secret from oppressed people. This may be 1989 all over again.

1989?!! Was Chavez elected? Was Chavez removed by the military coup? Please explain.

[Southack]

If you think that the Cubans are protesting now, just wait until they actually figure out what not getting near-free Venezuelan oil will mean for them!

[eleni121]

This was such good news in the midst of all the horrors of the Middle East. Now that the lunatic Chavez is gone, we will be planning another trip to Venezuela (a beautiful country) and spending money there. It's been a while.

[jalisco555]

By 1989 I was referring to the year that the Eastern European communist dictatorships were overthrown one by one by people who had lost their fear. I have a feeling that this year might see a similar phenomenon as dictatorships in Iran, North Korea and elsewhere might be overthrown by popular uprisings. Wishful thinking perhaps but Venezuela might be the spark.

And to respond to an obvious question, I know that Chavez was elected (after he failed to take power in a coup in the early 90's). However, he quickly made it clear that he intended to become "president-for-life" on the model of Castro.