This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/18/us-cuba-relations-venezuelan-president
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| As US-Cuba relations warm, fuming Venezuelan president left in the cold | As US-Cuba relations warm, fuming Venezuelan president left in the cold |
| (10 days later) | |
| Even as Cuba and the United States try to bury 50 years of enmity, Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro has seemed to be going in the other direction, vilifying “insolent Yankees” at rallies and threatening to cut ties completely. | Even as Cuba and the United States try to bury 50 years of enmity, Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro has seemed to be going in the other direction, vilifying “insolent Yankees” at rallies and threatening to cut ties completely. |
| Cuba and Venezuela are arguably the most unconditional allies in Latin America, but Cuban President Raul Castro’s move to rapprochement with the old “imperialist” enemy contrasts with Maduro’s fury at US plans for sanctions against his own government. | Cuba and Venezuela are arguably the most unconditional allies in Latin America, but Cuban President Raul Castro’s move to rapprochement with the old “imperialist” enemy contrasts with Maduro’s fury at US plans for sanctions against his own government. |
| “It looks like Raul is cheating on Nicolas!” scoffed Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles in an interview with Reuters. “All of the Americas going in one direction, and Nicolas doesn’t know where he’s heading.“ | “It looks like Raul is cheating on Nicolas!” scoffed Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles in an interview with Reuters. “All of the Americas going in one direction, and Nicolas doesn’t know where he’s heading.“ |
| In a relationship born from ex-presidents Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez’s close friendship and ideological affinity, Cuba is reliant on Opec member Venezuela for economic support – to the tune of around 90,000-100,000 barrelsperday of subsidized oil. | |
| So its decision to restore ties with Washington may be motivated in part by a desire to diversify away from Venezuela, given the increasingly parlous support of the South American nation’s economy and doubts over Maduro’s political future. | So its decision to restore ties with Washington may be motivated in part by a desire to diversify away from Venezuela, given the increasingly parlous support of the South American nation’s economy and doubts over Maduro’s political future. |
| President Raul Castro’s government has been paying for some of the oil by sending more than 40,000 Cubans to Venezuela to work as medics, sports trainers, and – most controversially – military and intelligence advisers. | President Raul Castro’s government has been paying for some of the oil by sending more than 40,000 Cubans to Venezuela to work as medics, sports trainers, and – most controversially – military and intelligence advisers. |
| Though they are unlikely to admit it in public, both Maduro and Castro may in fact be relieved that an economic lifeline looking likely to come under strain, as Venezuela suffers recession and an oil price plunge, could become less crucial. | Though they are unlikely to admit it in public, both Maduro and Castro may in fact be relieved that an economic lifeline looking likely to come under strain, as Venezuela suffers recession and an oil price plunge, could become less crucial. |
| Venezuela was already reducing its oil shipments to other allies in the Petrocaribe alliance. It will almost certainly continue to help Cuba but may be able to scale back, especially if Cuba can get oil from elsewhere. | Venezuela was already reducing its oil shipments to other allies in the Petrocaribe alliance. It will almost certainly continue to help Cuba but may be able to scale back, especially if Cuba can get oil from elsewhere. |
| The surprise announcement of the restoration in US-Cuba ties came days after the US House of Representatives and Senate passed legislation to deny visas and freeze assets of Venezuelan officials accused of repressing anti-Maduro protesters. | The surprise announcement of the restoration in US-Cuba ties came days after the US House of Representatives and Senate passed legislation to deny visas and freeze assets of Venezuelan officials accused of repressing anti-Maduro protesters. |
| Obama plans to sign the legislation, the White House said. | Obama plans to sign the legislation, the White House said. |
| That brought a thundering reaction from Maduro, who said on Sunday he sometimes wondered whether to close the US embassy in Caracas and end ties altogether, and who on Monday led thousands of red-clad supporters in an anti-sanctions march. | That brought a thundering reaction from Maduro, who said on Sunday he sometimes wondered whether to close the US embassy in Caracas and end ties altogether, and who on Monday led thousands of red-clad supporters in an anti-sanctions march. |
| “They can shove their US visas where they should be shoved, insolent Yankees!” Maduro said in a speech reminiscent of his mentor Chavez’s 14-year rule. | “They can shove their US visas where they should be shoved, insolent Yankees!” Maduro said in a speech reminiscent of his mentor Chavez’s 14-year rule. |
| The Venezuelan leader did, though, join the global chorus of praise for Obama’s long-promised reconciliation with Cuba. | The Venezuelan leader did, though, join the global chorus of praise for Obama’s long-promised reconciliation with Cuba. |
| “It’s a courageous and historically necessary step. It’s possibly the most important step of his presidency,” Maduro said on Wednesday at a regional summit in Parana, Argentina, notably ratcheting down his recent tone. | “It’s a courageous and historically necessary step. It’s possibly the most important step of his presidency,” Maduro said on Wednesday at a regional summit in Parana, Argentina, notably ratcheting down his recent tone. |
| “We continue seeking the best ways for ties with the giant in the north to take the course they should, especially due to the news and fresh winds in the Caribbean, in Cuba,” added Maduro, seemingly taken by surprise like many others. | “We continue seeking the best ways for ties with the giant in the north to take the course they should, especially due to the news and fresh winds in the Caribbean, in Cuba,” added Maduro, seemingly taken by surprise like many others. |
| Also speaking at the Mercosur summit, Ricardo Patino, the foreign minister for Ecuador – another leftist member of the regional Alba bloc – said he hoped the US-Cuba change would provoke a re-think over sanctions on Venezuela. | Also speaking at the Mercosur summit, Ricardo Patino, the foreign minister for Ecuador – another leftist member of the regional Alba bloc – said he hoped the US-Cuba change would provoke a re-think over sanctions on Venezuela. |
| “President Obama’s decision delights us,” he told Reuters, adding that it could create “confusion” given the opposite signal sent by the Venezuelan sanctions. “I hope the decisions Congress has asked President Obama to take now don’t go through.“ | “President Obama’s decision delights us,” he told Reuters, adding that it could create “confusion” given the opposite signal sent by the Venezuelan sanctions. “I hope the decisions Congress has asked President Obama to take now don’t go through.“ |
| However Venezuelan-US political ties proceed, pragmatism still seems to take precedence when it comes to business. | However Venezuelan-US political ties proceed, pragmatism still seems to take precedence when it comes to business. |
| Venezuela remained the fourth-biggest source of US oil imports in 2013, supplying 797,000 barrels per day of crude oil and petroleum products, according to US government data. | Venezuela remained the fourth-biggest source of US oil imports in 2013, supplying 797,000 barrels per day of crude oil and petroleum products, according to US government data. |