US senators seek improved ties with Venezuela
Efforts to ease tensions between Caracas and Washington predicated on mutual economic interests.
On a fact-finding mission to Latin America three US senators met with Venezuelan strongman, President Hugo Chavez, reports the
Associated Press.
The meeting holds greater significance than is generally accorded such missions because
relations have been tense between Mr. Chavez and the Bush administration.
Chavez met for two hours with US Sens. Christopher Dodd, [(D) of Connecticut] Lincoln Chafee [(R) of Rhode Island] and Bill Nelson, [(D) of Florida] who said they saw their visit as a first step toward better ties.
The senators expressed optimism that with the beginning of both a new year and a second term for Bush, the two governments can mend relations.
Trade, not national disagreements, was the focus of talks, reports
Reuters. The US is the No. 1 buyer of Venezuelan oil, while the South American country is the fourth biggest provider of oil to the US.
'This is a very, very, very important bilateral relationship. ... We're here to see if we can't move this in a better direction,' Dodd, a senior member of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told a news conference. The senators expressed their hope that Secretary of State nominee Condoleezza Rice will make the effort to improve relations with the fiery populist Chavez a priority when she takes office.
Elected in 1998, Chavez routinely attacks US policies as "imperialist" and "has accused President Bush of trying to overthrow him," says
Reuters.
Chavez still harbors doubts about US intentions, given the fact that Washington recognized an interim government that claimed power in a short-lived coup against him in 2002.
US officials deny any attempt at overthrowing Chavez, says
Reuters.
But [they] have sharply criticized Chavez's close alliance with Cuba's Communist President, Fidel Castro, and have said his self-styled 'revolution' could be eroding democracy in Venezuela... Both Colombia and the US accuse Chavez of providing "shelter to leftist Colombian rebels who trade in drugs and are considered terrorists," a charge Chavez told the senators he rejects, reports
Reuters.
'We discussed this at length today. ... What President Chavez has told us is that there is a new cooperation with the Colombian government in not allowing the FARC (rebels) sanctuary,' Nelson said.
But he added: "Let's see if the words translate into action."
Another area of contention is the effort by Chavez to turn a four-year-old land reform law "
into practical reality," reports the
BBC.
Chavez claims the law will bring justice to the rural poor where he says less than five percent of the country's owners occupy nearly 80 percent of the land. The goal is to "gradually [eliminate] the country's giant estates," says the
BBC.
Distributing land to poor farmers is part of "Chavez's plan to make the country less dependent on imported food and end hunger," reports
Bloomberg.
The first property facing possible seizure under the plan is a 32,000-acre cattle ranch operated by the London-based Vestey Group. A government commission last weekend established a camp in the ranch, located in Cojedes state 200 kilometers (124 miles) southwest of Caracas, to assess whether Vestey can prove it legitimately owns the land and is using it productively. Still simmering on low boil is Chavez's intent to purchase up to 50 "
super jet fighters fitted with state-of-the-art weaponry" from Russian defense contractors. It remains a major stumbling block to any easing of tensions between Caracas and Washington, said a report last Sept. by
United Press International.
In letters addressed last year to the director general of Russian Aeronautic Corp., Nicolai F. Nikitin, the Venezuelan air force requested the 'latest version' of the
MiG 29 SMT equipped with high-tech weaponry, including radar-guided missiles and 2,000-pound bombs. Such weaponry would give Chavez the military muscle to project regional leadership, according to military analysts cited by
UPI. That he also seeks to strengthen ties with Iran does little to endear him in Washington's eyes, as well, says
UPI.
Prior to the US presidential elections, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage "conditioned improved American relations with Venezuela on a 'toning down of anti-American rhetoric' and a 'modification of policies prejudicial to US interests,'" reported
UPI.
Late last month the Venezuelan Foreign Minister Ali Rodriguez announced plans to discuss with Panama a proposal to "
pump oil through a Panamanian pipeline to the Pacific in order to cut shipping costs to China," reported
AP.
Venezuela currently has a contract with China to deliver 120,000 barrels of oil per month and sees the underutilized Pacific to the Caribbean pipeline as an economical means of delivering oil. Reversing the flow of oil would be a matter of installing updated pumps, says Mr. Rodriguez.
'A smaller pipeline could be built to accommodate the small flow currently coming from the Pacific to the Caribbean.'
'There are Chinese businesses that have expressed interest' in the project.
Also...
•
Oil find hints at a less dependent Cuba (
New York Times)
•
Concern over Venezuela media law (
BBC)
•
Latin America: The coming changes (
Foreign Policy)
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