Posted on 04/13/2002 8:30:25 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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.
lol. Perhaps its time Mr. Castro picks up a copy of The Wealth of Nations.
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]
AND???? Guess he forgot how Castro came to power.
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.
One might assume that even Iran or Libya would want to be paid for their oil.
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]
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.
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.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.