Venezuela’s debt to Cuba
By
Salim Lamrani
Venezuela’s
oligarchy bitterly criticizes President Chávez for the oil aid
it furnishes the government of Havana. In fact, Cuba receives 98,000
barrels of oil daily, at preferential rates.
However,
the Caribbean island is not the only nation that benefits from such
favorable accords. Most of the countries in the region — such as
Haiti, Jamaica and Nicaragua — enjoy that policy of solidarity.
London and several U.S. cities also enjoy Venezuela’s generosity
without creating much controversy (1).
Chávez
answered those attacks personally during his TV program "Hello,
president," on Sept. 30, 2007. According to him, the debt the
Venezuelans have contracted with Cuba is much more important than the
aid in energy that they provide to the Caribbean island.
"Those
who accuse me of giving oil away to Cuba are foolish. If someone
figured it out, bolivar by bolivar, cent by cent …"
The
president recalled that 30,000 Cuban doctors have been working for
more than five years in Venezuela, in a voluntary and gratuitous
manner. He said the Cuban health professionals saved more lives in
five years than the Venezuelan…
By
Salim Lamrani Read Spanish Version
Venezuela’s
oligarchy bitterly criticizes President Chávez for the oil aid
it furnishes the government of Havana. In fact, Cuba receives 98,000
barrels of oil daily, at preferential rates.
However,
the Caribbean island is not the only nation that benefits from such
favorable accords. Most of the countries in the region — such as
Haiti, Jamaica and Nicaragua — enjoy that policy of solidarity.
London and several U.S. cities also enjoy Venezuela’s generosity
without creating much controversy (1).
Chávez
answered those attacks personally during his TV program "Hello,
president," on Sept. 30, 2007. According to him, the debt the
Venezuelans have contracted with Cuba is much more important than the
aid in energy that they provide to the Caribbean island.
"Those
who accuse me of giving oil away to Cuba are foolish. If someone
figured it out, bolivar by bolivar, cent by cent …"
The
president recalled that 30,000 Cuban doctors have been working for
more than five years in Venezuela, in a voluntary and gratuitous
manner. He said the Cuban health professionals saved more lives in
five years than the Venezuelan doctors throughout Venezuela’s history
of health service.
That aid
"has no price," he stressed. "What is worth more, in
objective prices? The barrels of oil we sell to Cuba or this?"
(2).
At
present, about 9 million people benefit from the care given by the
Cuban doctors, who have seen more than 60 million patients
nationwide. The "Barrio Adentro" ("Inner City")
missions have allowed all Venezuelans to have universal and
gratuitous access to medical attention. The development of preventive
medicine saved the lives of 1,153 children in 2007, according to the
Ministry of Health (3).
Thanks
to the Cuban medical presence and Chávez’s political will, six
new hospitals are being built in Barinas, Mérida, Guárico,
Miranda, Apure and the Capital District. "Inner City" has
gone into its fourth phase. The government expects to invest 800
million euros (2.5 billion bolivares or US$1.14 billion) in the
Public Health System (4).
Chávez
also announced a 60-percent wage increase for Venezuelan doctors who
work for the State, beginning Nov. 1, 2007. "I know that
doctors’ salaries fell behind. […] This is fair for those who work
for the health of Venezuelans," he declared (5).
He also
emphasized that the rise in the price of oil had permitted that
economic effort (6). Of course, the Medical Association of Venezuela
expressed its satisfaction (7). The minimum salary for a physician
starting to work for the public administration will be 822 euros per
month, [US$1,175] an extraordinarily high sum in a Third-World
country (8).
Teachers
are not falling behind. The Public Education Ministry has increased
their salaries by 40 percent, beginning on Nov. 1, 2007 (9).
On the
opposite end, President Bush vetoed legislation approved by Congress
that would provide medical care for poor children, claiming budget
restraints, yet he spends billions of dollars in the illegitimate and
murderous occupation of Iraq.
Two
visions of society — Chávez’s and Bush’s — are pitted
against each other: the welfare of the neediest on one hand, and the
profits of the multinational corporations on the other (10).
To fight
the excessive consumption of alcohol and tobacco and to reduce the
population’s health problems, the Venezuelan government increased the
taxes on liquor (50 percent) and cigarettes (70 percent). "We
are one of the countries that consume the largest volume of whiskey,"
Chávez lamented. The sale of beer on the streets will be
prohibited from now on.
This
entire arsenal of measures is part of the preventive policy that
compels the government to improve the health of Venezuelans (11).
Cuba and
Venezuela again fortified their regional integration by signing 14
new accords of economic cooperation on Oct. 15, 2007 (12). During his
speech, Chávez reiterated his admiration for Cuba, much to the
ire of the Venezuelan opposition.
"Fidel
is a father to our people. Cuba is an example to our revolution.
Venezuela loves Cuba; our people love the Cuban people and have much
to thank them for" (13). Then, addressing his detractors, he
asked: "How much would any country have to pay for having 30,000
doctors, nurses, eye doctors and dentists 24 hours a day, serving
throughout the territory? […] Someone please answer me!" (14).
The
integration of Cuba and Venezuela is a model the rest of the
continent should follow. It is the only way to ward off Washington’s
threats, achieve true independence and improve the standard of living
of the populations.
Notes
(1)
Mauricio Vicent, «Venezuelan president alludes in Cuba to a
federation of the two countries», El País, Oct. 16,
2007.
(2)
Associated Press, «Chávez says Venezuela is indebted to
Cuba», Oct. 1, 2007.
(3)
Ibid.
(4)
Bolivarian News Agency, «Inner City Four kicked off with the
construction of six specialized hospitals», Sept. 30, 2007.
(5)
Associated Press, «Chávez announces increase in wages to
doctors in en Venezuela», Oct. 8, 2007.
(6)
Bolivarian News Agency, «Chávez announces 60-percent
wage increase for doctors», Oct. 8, 2007.
(7)
Bolivarian News Agency, «Metropolitan District’s medical
association OKs 60-percent increase», Oct. 9, 2007.
(8)
Bolivarian News Agency, «Doctors pleased with 60-percent wage
increase», Oct. 9 2007.
(9)
Associated Press, «Chávez announces wage increase for
teachers in Venezuela», Oct. 5, 2007.
(10)
David Stout, «Bush Defends Veto of Health Care Bill», The
New York Times, Oct. 15, 2007.
(11)
Christopher Toothaker, «Chávez campaigns against
drinking and consumerism», Associated Press, Oct. 9, 2007.
(12)
Bolivarian News Agency, «Venezuela and Cuba sign 14 new
integration accords», Oct. 15, 2007.
(13)
Granma, «Cuba and Venezuela are in the best condition to move
forward in a process of union. Speech by Hugo Chávez Frías,
President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, during the signing
of accords between Venezuela and Cuba, at the Palace of Conventions
on Oct. 15, 2007, Year 49 of the Revolution», Oct. 16, 2007.
(14)
Associated Press, «Chávez says Venezuela is indebted to
Cuba», op. cit.
Salim
Lamrani is a French professor, writer and journalist who specializes
on U.S.-Cuba relations. He has written "Washington contre Cuba"
(Pantin: Le Temps des Cerises, 2005), "Cuba face à
l’Empire" (Genève: Timeli, 2006) and "Fidel
Castro, Cuba et les Etats-Unis" (Pantin: Le Temps des Cerises,
2006). This article may be reproduced free of charge, so long as the
author and source are cited.
