Thursday, February 05, 2004

Venezuela and Cuba

Some more propaganda about Venezuela and Cuba from the New York Times.

A Wall Street Journal report blames growing instability and anti-US sentiment in Latin America on an alliance between Cuban president Fidel Castro and Venezuela’s populist leader, Cesar Chavez. The two men are blamed for trying to undermine the “US's agenda in Latin America”, notably the formation of a hemispheric free trade zone which would exclude Cuba. Currently at issue is $752 million allegedly owed by Cuba to Venezuela for oil supplies, which the Journal describes as a “crucial subsidy” to the Castro government, one which “represents a further threat to the (Venezuelan state oil company)…the fourth-largest provider of oil to the US.” The campaign against the two states is being orchestrated by Otto Reich, the Cuban exile who is the Bush administration’s special envoy for hemispheric affairs. Cuban and Venezuelan officials dismiss the US charges as propaganda, and say the oil shipments should be seen in the context of the cooperation agreement between the two countries in which Cuba provides medical and education aid to the Venezuelan poor. (See article below)  Supporting Facts article

And just who is Otto Reich?

If you think the United States has never employed propaganda officers, meet Otto Reich. He may soon be our country's chief diplomat in Latin America if the Bush administration has its way.  June 2001 FAIR article

More on Otto.

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