[Marxism] Venezuela becomes Cuba's top trading partner (AP via Yahoo News)

["Fred Feldman" <ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Venezuela Becomes Cuba's Top Trade Partner Tue Nov 1,12:08 AM ET



Venezuela has become Cuba's top trading partner, selling the Caribbean
island $1.4 billion in oil and other goods annually, Cuba's government
said Monday.

Trading has increased amid strengthening political ties between the two
countries under the leadership of presidents Hugo Chavez of Venezuela
and Fidel Castro of Cuba, who also share a close friendship.

The administration of President Bush has grown alarmed by the alliance,
with some U.S. officials characterizing Chavez and Castro as
troublemakers who are trying to destabilize Latin American democracies -
something both of them deny.

Cuba is now buying $1.1 billion worth of Venezuelan oil annually along
with another $300 million in food, construction materials, and other
products, Foreign Commerce Minister Raul de la Nuez said on the first
day of the island's annual trade fair.

De la Nuez predicted trade between the two nations could reach $2
billion annually by the end of 2006. "At this moment (Venezuela)
indisputably is the Cuba's top trading partner," he said.

Cuba, in return, has given Venezuela the services of thousands of
doctors and other health professionals, as well as other professionals.

The International Fair of Havana, featuring products from more than 40
nations, runs through Saturday at the Expo Cuba fairgrounds on the
capital's western outskirts.




Copyright C 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The
information contained in the AP News report may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written
authority of The Associated Press.


Copyright C 2005 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.



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