[Marxism] Fidel Castro on Peak Oil

[Jon Flanders <jonathan.flanders@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Published on Friday, July 1, 2005 by Cuba National News Agency

Fidel Castro warns about energy crisis

By AIN staff 

Havana, June 30 (AIN) Cuban President Fidel Castro warned Caribbean
heads of state about an upcoming energy crisis and environmental
problems caused by uncontrolled exploitation of natural resources and
the "crazy waste" of oil-derived energy, according to the press of the
Venezuelan Presidency.

"The crisis is more serious and deeper than imagined", said the Cuban
President during his speech at the inaugural session of the First
PetroCaribe Energy Summit of Caribbean Heads of State and Government,
which held sessions Wednesday in the Venezuelan locality of Puerto La
Cruz, in the state of Anzoástegui, with the attendance of 15 Caribbean
nations.

Fidel Castro said that political and economic problems facing the
governments of the western continent add to the situation that stems
from the energy crisis. "Fuel begins to be scarce, that has been proved
by irrefutable studies", said Fidel Castro.

President Castro said that the crisis is just around the corner, "it
will take place during the current decade", he said. Reserves are no
longer enough and the current offer can not meet the demand due to the
crazy waste of oil, stemming from extreme consumption.

No Caribbean country will be able to purchase oil once its price reach
100 dollars a barrel, said Fidel Castro.

"The US administration knows this problem very well, or there would be
no explanation to such a crazy and brutal war, which Washington has
waged in that part of the world (meaning Iraq) with no cause at all and
by deceiving the whole world and the US people. They (The US) do know
more than all of us about the existence of oil reserves; they know that
the largest oil wells were already found and there are few left, said
Fidel Castro.

In his speech, President Castro said that it will be difficult to find a
more generous man than President Hugo Chavez. "He has been accused of
giving away Venezuela's oil, those are intrigues, lies, campaigns, which
can not mirror his greatness, his sense of responsibility with this
hemisphere" said the Cuban President.

"I have known President Chavez for 10 years, I´m aware of his
sensitiveness, his generosity and his sense of duty. I wish that there
were some leaders like him in the world", said the Cuban Revolution
leader.

Fidel Castro said that the survival of our countries will not be
possible without the unity or relationship, which is being promoted by
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Editorial Notes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Is this the first time a head of state has spoken so bluntly about the
current energy crisis? 

I tried to find other news articles about the speech, but this piece
from Cuba seemed to be the only one readily available.

There were many stories about Castro, Chavez and the PetroCaribe Energy
Summit such as this one from AP: Caribbean plan for cheap regional
fuel. 

-BA 
Article found at : 
http://www.energybulletin.net/newswire.php?id=7037

Original article : 
http://www.ain.cubaweb.cu/idioma/ingles/2005/jun30fidel-energia.htm



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