CUBA: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says he spoke to Cuba's Fidel Castro for over two hours as he inaugurates a joint Cuban-Venezuelan oil refinery in Cuba

Record ID: 343483

  • Title: CUBA: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says he spoke to Cuba's Fidel Castro for over two hours as he inaugurates a joint Cuban-Venezuelan oil refinery in Cuba
  • Date: 22nd December 2007
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT, HUGO CHAVEZ FRIAS, SAYING: "(Asked whether he had seen Fidel Castro) Fidel! Long live Fidel! We spoke for over two hours, two and a half hours, and we spoke about many things. We spoke of strategy, of tactics and oil, of the world economy but, above all, it was a very deep, very emotional, very emotional conversation and Fidel, m
  • Embargoed: 6th January 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Cuba
  • Country: Cuba
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAE39YXSWSU5RJ8NBOFT2ZJ617D
  • Story Text: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says he spoke to Cuba's Fidel Castro for over two hours as he inaugurates a joint Cuban-Venezuelan oil refinery in Cuba.
    Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said he had visited with Cuban President Fidel Castro for over two hours as he inaugurated a joint oil refinery with the Caribbean nation on Friday (December 21).

    "Fidel! Long live Fidel! We spoke for over two hours, two and a half hours, and we spoke about many things. We spoke of strategy, of tactics and oil, of the world economy but, above all, it was a very deep, very emotional, very emotional conversation and Fidel, my political father,"
    said the the leftist firebrand at a summit of his growing regional energy alliance, Petrocaribe.
    Billboards featuring Chavez and ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro greeted the Venezuelan president in Cienfuegos, a port city 160 miles (256 km) southwest of Havana. Castro has not appeared in public since falling ill in mid-2006. His brother and acting Cuban President Raul Castro co-hosted the summit.
    Chavez has helped Cuba's economically battered economy stay afloat with 92,000 barrels per day of crude oil paid for by the medical services of Cuban doctors treating Venezuela's poor.
    In addition, Cuba has started receiving crude shipments for the 65,000-bpd Cienfuegos refinery, a joint venture between Cuban state oil company CUPET and Venezuelan counterpart PDVSA, which has invested $166 million in restarting the plant.
    The refinery was mothballed 12 years ago after the Soviet Union collapsed, depriving Cuba of subsidized oil supplies and technology and plunging it into a deep economic crisis.
    The Cienfuegos refinery will produce fuel oil, diesel, gasoline and jet fuel for the Cuban domestic market and for export to Nicaragua, Belize, Honduras and Haiti.
    At its opening, Chavez said Petrocaribe planned to build 10 refineries and refurbish another eight at a cost of $22 billion over the next 10 years to cover the region's supply of refined products.
    Petrocaribe allows members to defer payment on 40 percent of their Venezuelan oil bill for up to 25 years, with interest of only 1 percent.
    Critics say the deal supplies oil at market prices and is increasing the indebtedness of small Caribbean states.
    Raul Castro, running Cuba since his brother underwent stomach surgery 16 months ago, said the U.S. trade embargo had prevented Cuba from operating the Cienfuegos refinery since 1995.

    "It has not been easy to keep our socialist revolution going with a fierce enemy 90 miles (145 km) away, but we are here to stay," he said.
    Chavez and Raul Castro also visited homes donated by Venezuela to Cuban workers.
    The Venezuelan president toured the three-bedroom, furnished bungalows that were donated to 100 Cuban families.
    The Petrocaribe alliance, which has bolstered Chavez's regional influence since it started in 2005, grew to 17 countries on Friday with the entry of Honduras, a traditional U.S. ally. Guatemala's president-elect also wants to join.
    Chavez said the debts of Petrocaribe members to Venezuela has reached $1.16 billion in little more than a year of preferentially financed supplies, and is estimated to rise to $4.6 billion by 2010.
    He proposed debts be offset by local products and services, following the example of Cuba, which has sent 20,000 doctors and teachers to Venezuela in exchange for crude and refined products now estimated to value $3 billion a year.
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