[progchat_action] Venezuela's debt to Cuba
 
Date: Sun, 28 Oct 2007 09:49:50 -0500 (CDT)

Venezuela's debt to Cuba

by Salim Lamrani
Z-Net
October 27, 2007

The Venezuelan oligarchy vehemently criticizes President Chavez for
providing fuel assistance to the government in Havana. It is true that Cuba
receives 98 thousand barrels of petroleum daily at preferential prices.
Nevertheless the Caribbean nation is not the only nation benefiting from
favorable agreements. The majority of the countries in that region including
Haiti, Jamaica and Nicaragua also enjoy this political solidarity. London as
well as various United States cities are also recipients of Venezuela's
generosity without it stirring up such controversy. (1).

Chavez personally responded to these attacks during his television program
"Als, Presidente" on September 30, 2007. According to him, the debt that
Venezuelans have incurred with Cuba is much greater than the fuel assistance
provided to the island.  "Those who [...] accuse me of giving away fuel to
Cuba [are] foolish. If the account were tallied, bolmvar for bolmvar, cent
for cent ..." the president recalled that 30 thousand Cuban doctors have
been working in the country on a free and volunteer basis for more than five
years. He confirmed that Cuban professionals have saved more lives in those
five years than Venezuelan doctors have throughout the entire medical
history of Venezuela. "This has no price," he emphasized. "What is worth
more in objective value, the barrels of oil that we sell to Cuba or this?"
he asked (2).

Currently around 9 million people have benefited from medical attention
provided by the Cuban doctors, who have performed more then 60 million
consultations throughout the country. The health mission "Barrio Adentro"
(Inside the Barrio) has ensured that all Venezuelans have free and universal
access to medical services. The establishment of preventative medicine saved
the lives of 1,153 children in 2007, according to the Ministry of Health.
(3)

Thanks to the presence of the Cuban doctors and the political will of Chavez
six new hospitals are being built in the states of Barinas, Mirida, Guarico,
Miranda, Apure and in the capital. Barrio Adentro has entered its fourth
phase. The government plans to invest a sum of 800 million Euros (2,500
million Bolmvares) in the Public Health System. (4)

Chavez also announced a 60% salary increase for Venezuelan doctors who work
for the state beginning November 1, 2007. "I know that doctors' salaries
were falling behind. [...]. It's justice for those who work for Venezuelans'
health," he declared. (5) He also emphasized that this economic effort is
made possible by the raising oil prices. (6) Of course, the Colegio de
Midicos de Venezuela (medical College of Venezuela) expressed satisfaction.
(7) The minimum salary for a new doctor starting out in the public system
will now be 822 Euros per month which is an extremely high salary for a
Third World country. (8) Professors have not been left out. The Ministry of
Public Education also decided to raise its salaries by 40% effective
November 1, 2007. (9)

In contrast, President Bush, under the pretext of fiscal restraint, vetoed
legislation passed by the Congress that would have provided access to
medical attention for poor children, while spending billions of dollars on
the illegitimate and murderous occupation of Iraq. The societal views of
Chavez and Bush are mirror opposites: the well-being of the neediest on one
side and the profits of multinationals on the other. (10)

In order to combat excessive alcohol and tobacco consumption and to thus
reduce related public health problems, the Venezuelan government decided to
raise the tax on liquor by 50% and on cigarettes by 70%. "Our country has
one of the highest rates of whiskey consumption," he lamented. Sales of beer
on the street will be prohibited from now on. This arsenal of measures forms
part of the preventative policy promoted by the government to improve the
health of Venezuelans. (11)

Cuba and Venezuela have once again strengthened regional integration by
signing 14 new cooperative economic agreements on October 15, 2007. (12)
Provoking the ire of the Venezuelan opposition, during his speech Hugo
Chavez reiterated his admiration for Cuba: "Fidel is a father for our
people. Cuba is an example for our revolution. Venezuela loves Cuba. Our
people love the Cuban people and are very grateful to them." (13) Later,
addressing his detractors, he asked: "how much would we have to pay any
other country to provide 30 thousand doctors, nurses, ophthalmologists and
dentists, 24 hours a day, dispersed throughout the entire the territory
[...]? That can someone tell me that!" (14)

The integration between Cuba and Venezuela is a model that should be
followed on the rest of the continent. It is the only way to protect against
the threats of Washington, achieve real independence and improve the
people's standard of living.

Salim Lamrani is a French professor, writer and journalist who specializes
on U.S.-Cuba relations. He has published the books Washington contre Cuba
(Pantin: Le Temps des Cerises, 2005), Cuba face ` l'Empire (Genhve: Timeli,
2006) and Fidel Castro, Cuba et les Itats-Unis (Pantin: Le Temps des
Cerises, 2006). Translated by Dawn Gable. Dawn Gable is a freelance
translator, writer and member of the Venezuela Solidarity Network and the
Santa Cruz Cuba Study Group. She is also co-founder of Bridges Not Walls:
Uniting America one word at a time.

Notes

(1) Mauricio Vicent, +El presidente de Venezuela alude en Cuba a una
confederacisn entre los dos pamses;, El Pams, October 16, 2007.

(2) Associated Press, +Chavez asegura que Venezuela tiene deuda con Cuba;,
October 1, 2007.

(3) Ibid.

(4) Agencia Bolivariana de Noticias, +Arrancs Barrio Adentro IV con la
construccisn de 6 hospitales especializados;, September 30, 2007.

(5) Associated Press, +Chavez anuncia incremento salarial a midicos en
Venezuela;, October 8, 2007.

(6) Agencia Bolivariana de Noticias, +Chavez anuncis incremento salarial de
60% para midicos;, October 8, 2007.

(7) Agencia Bolivariana de Noticias, +Colegio Midico del Distrito
Metropolitano conforme con aumento de 60%;, October 9, 2007.

(8) Agencia Bolivariana de Noticias, +Midicos satisfechos con aumento de
sueldo del 60%;, October 9, 2007.

(9) Associated Press, +Chavez anuncia incremento salarial a maestros en
Venezuela;, October 5, 2007.

(10) David Stout, +Bush Defends Veto of Health Care Bill;, The New York
Times, October 15, 2007.

(11) Christopher Toothaker, +Chavez la emprende contra la bebida y el
consumismo;, Associated Press, October 9, 2007.

(12) Agencia Bolivariana de Noticias, +Venezuela y Cuba suscriben 14 nuevos
acuerdos de integracisn;, October 15, 2007.

(13) Granma, +Estamos en las mejores condiciones Cuba y Venezuela para
avanzar en un proceso unitario. Discurso de Hugo Chavez Frmas, Presidente de
la Repzblica Bolivariana de Venezuela, en el acto de firma de acuerdos entre
Venezuela y Cuba, efectuado en el Palacio de las Convenciones, el 15 de
octubre de 2007, "Aqo 49 de la Revolucisn";, October 16, 2007.

(14) Associated Press, +Chavez asegura que Venezuela tiene deuda con Cuba;,
op. cit.

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