[North-NV-Greens] Fwd: USGP-INT Castro and Chavez Support Alternative to FTAA

[Paul Etxeberri]

>Delivered-To: eusko at greens.org
>Date: Thu, 16 Dec 2004 01:10:06 -0500
>From: Michael Canney <chicoverde at cox.net>
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>To: usgp-int <usgp-int at gp-us.org>
>Subject: USGP-INT Castro and Chavez Support Alternative to FTAA
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>"The bombing begins in five minutes..."
>
>Castro, Chavez defy US trade pact
>
>Wednesday 15 December 2004
>
>Cuban President Fidel Castro and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez have
>announced an alternative trade bloc to the one proposed by the US for a
>free-trade area of the Americas.
>
>The alternative was conceived as "a battle fought with the same rules
>and regulations as those imposed by the [US] empire to divide the
>people", Castro said on Tuesday.
>
>Naming the new pact the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA),
>the presidents said it would eliminate trade barriers and tax obstacles,
>provide incentives for investment, increase banking relations and tourism
>cooperation.
>
>Venezuela promised financing for Cuban industrial and infrastructure
>projects, while Cuba agreed to pay a minimum price of $27 per barrel of
>Venezuelan oil, as part of the accord "to apply the Bolivarian
>Alternative for the Americas".
>
>FTAA dead
>
>Before the signing of the agreement, Castro and Chavez addressed a rally in
>Havana where both presidents declared the US-proposed Latin American Free
>Trade Zone dead.
>
>"It is an alternative to the perverse FTAA, which they have been trying
>to impose on us for years," Chavez said. "FTAA is dead."
>
>Chavez also accused Washington of pursuing imperialist intentions in
>free trade talks with Andean countries.
>
>Venezuela is one of the biggest suppliers of crude oil to the US, but
>their relations have been strained by disputes between Chavez and the
>White House.
>
>Washington has expressed concern over Chavez's close ties to Castro
>since Chavez won the presidency in 1998.
>
>And US President George Bush's says the FTAA is the solution to the
>region's deepening poverty.
>
>Chavez visit
>
>Chavez is on a two-day visit to commemorate his first encounter in
>Havana with Castro 10 years ago when he was an army officer recently
>released from prison for leading a failed coup.
>
>At the time, Castro proclaimed him Venezuela's future leader.
>
>Venezuela currently provides Cuba with 53,000 barrels of oil a day at
>preferential prices, while Cuba has 13,000 doctors in Venezuela, is
>helping the country stamp out illiteracy and has treated thousands of
>Venezuelans in its hospitals.
>
>AFP
>***************************************************************************


-- 
Paul Etxeberri

"Forests precede civilizations and deserts follow"   ---Chateaubriand
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