[Marxism] Granma interview w/Ven. Ambassador Ali Rodriguez

[Walter Lippmann <walterlx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

And, also, furthermore: Chavez to military: Socialism or leave: 
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6553444,00.html

==========================================================================
QUESTION: Will the various wiseacre, two-for-a-nickel critics get
the message and start to finally smell the coffee? Let's hope so!
==========================================================================

GRANMA
April 13, 2007

We're Headed in the Right Direction

Interview with Ali Rodriguez Arazue, Venezuelan ambassador to Cuba.

DEISY FRANCIS MEXIDOR Photo: Jose M. Correa

Ali Rodriguez Araque came to Cuba for the first time in 1959, after
the fall of the Batista tyranny, with groups of students who had
participated in the solidarity campaigns in support of the Rebel Army
in the Sierra Maestra Mountains. Afterwards, he lived for a long time
on the island. Therefore he was delighted when to be appointed the
new Venezuelan ambassador to Cuba.

"I have many very good friends here," he said in an interview with
Granma and added that he accepts the new responsibility "as if moving
from one house to another in my own country."

How would you describe the course of relations between Cuba and
Venezuela?

Both countries are increasingly expanding relations, in new areas and
strengthening those that were signed years ago. The most important
achievement has been breaking down the energy blockade of Cuba.

Venezuela provides Cuba with around 92,000 barrels of oil and refined
products everyday, which, added to the increasing production of Cuba,
are providing solutions to the difficult situation that arose on the
island during the special period.

Venezuela has received invaluable support from Cuba in the campaign
to eradicate illiteracy which reinserted 1.5 million Venezuelans back
into society.

The same thing is happening in the healthcare sector where some 17
million receive free healthcare.

You said that cooperation will extend to new areas â

Yes. An important development in the energy sector is that the
Cienfuegos refinery is being restructured and the Matanzas-Cienfuegos
pipeline is being restored to guarantee oil storage capacity in
Matanzas, related to supertanker activity for oil distribution not
only in Cuba but also in the Caribbean.

We have signed agreements in the area of geology, to improve
technology and to recover oil wells. Also we found a joint venture
for the development of specialty steels obtained from Cuban nickel
and Venezuelan steel.

Trade between the two nations is approaching $3 billion US which was
the first objective. Cuba is becoming one of the main commercial
partners of Venezuela.

Our trade is not only commercial and economic. There are also social
upshots and programs such as the pursuit of solar energy with solar
panels and other renewable and not renewable energy sources.

What political impact do you confer to the relationship between Cuba
and Venezuela, especially between presidents Hugo Chavez and Fidel
Castro?

It is amazing.

This relationship is one the most troublesome developments for US
imperialism because it is an example of the current model of
integration that is being implemented. This model is upheld in the
Joint Declaration made by Presidents Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro in
December 2005 and is based on solidarity, cooperation and the strict
respect to sovereignty.

Apart from all the negative media campaigns, Cuba has provided
Venezuela with very important support in the abovementioned areas
without conditions and vice versa.

The impact comes from the face that it is a completely new model of
integration that contrasts from the frameworks of the FTAA and the
FTA, in which commerce is most important, survival of the fittest,
the much-criticized economic Darwinism.

In the sphere of politics, we have agreed in all international
scenarios, particularly in the policies we have defended in the heart
of the United Nations.

Venezuela has asked the Organization of American States (OAS) why
Cuba is not there. It is true that the cold war ended, but US
imperialism and its followers have keep up its consequences.

The increasing exchange in the area of culture is also important
since we have many things in common: a richness in music, literature,
poetry and creativity in general. All this makes me think that we're
headed in the right direction.




________________________________________________
YOU MUST clip all extraneous text before replying to a message.
Send list submissions to: Marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/marxism