Oil Find Hints at a Less Dependent Cuba

[Judi Lynn]

Oil Find Hints at a Less Dependent Cuba
By SIMON ROMERO

Published: January 11, 2005


HOUSTON, Jan. 10 - On Dec. 25, President Fidel Castro said he had some information to lift the spirits of Cuba's 11 million people: two Canadian energy companies, Pebercan and Sherritt International, had discovered oil in the Gulf of Mexico in an area under Cuba's control.

Mr. Castro, in an announcement that raised eyebrows in the executive suites of energy companies here, disclosed that the Canadian companies had discovered estimated reserves of 100 million barrels. That was the good news. It was also the bad news.

The deposits, which are expected to produce oil as early as next year, may provide Cuba's government with some relief as it presses forward with efforts to use hard currency for purposes other than petroleum purchases from abroad. Shortly after Mr. Castro announced the discovery, the central bank said it was tightening measures intended to centralize the control of dollars circulating in the Cuban economy.

"Cuba simply needs the money," said John S. Kavulich, president of the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council in New York, which tracks trade activity in Cuba.
(snip/...)

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/11/business/worldbusiness/11cuba.html?oref=login
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[TrueAmerican]

1. Maybe there is another reason

that the US is building up Gitmo?

[bloom]

2. I think there was a thread the other day

about someone (a Republican?, the pope?) wanting to lift the sanctions on Cuba.


I thought - where did that come from? Hmmmm

[Mika]

8. Keep in mind that the farm belt (red states) want trade with Cuba

The anti and pro Cuba trade factions cross party lines, both ways. Its a mixed bag.

[bloom]

9. maybe

but I think the Bush* family has been against it.

I can see how Oil might change that, however.

[Mika]

11. Then, this might suprise you

charts from opensecrets.org

[bloom]

12. That doesn't change what the Bush* family wants....eom

[Mika]

13. No shit. It was to illustrate that it is a mixed bag

Many people mistakenly believe that all or most Cuban-Americans are solid repuke, just as many mistakenly think red staters to be anti Cuba trade.

Not so.

[bloom]

15. I don't have any assumptions about Cuban-Americans

and never said anything about them.

I was curious as to what the Bush* people are up to and why - what they think they can get out of it, mainly.


I'm sure a Cuban-American discussion is valid. It just wasn't what I was talking about.

[Mika]

17. OK - BTW it was the Pope who criticized the US embargo (link)

DU thread here,

Pope Criticizes U.S. Embargo Against Cuba

[Judi Lynn]

3. Adding two more important paragraphs from the article:

In the meantime, news of the find by the Canadian companies and the potential for larger discoveries of oil in the portions of the Gulf of Mexico controlled by Cuba are fueling speculation about how the emergence of Cuba as a promising oil exploration area might affect relations with the United States.

"If Cuba is able to show that it has higher-quality crude at sufficient levels," Mr. Kavulich of the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council said, "the Bush administration would come under pressure to permit, at a minimum, purchases of Cuban-origin oil."
(snip)

This could create a far different picture, couldn't it?

Good thing Cuba went ahead and affirmed relations with the E.U. They'll be less isolated, for sure, as discussed on Mika's thread.

[Inland]

5. Either a sudden improvement in Cuban American relations or

we invade. Bush will choose either the bootlicking US-Saudi model or the imperialist oil robbing US-Iraqi model.

[pinto]

7. Good news for Cuba, I hope....n/t

[aquart]

4. Christ. We're invading Cuba.

Just as soon as we get an army.

[darkism]

6. Time to "liberate" the Cubans!

Gotta draft an army first, though.

[poe]

10. leave cuba alone america

cuba is a great case study in how a nation can sustain a low energy system. go to "community solutions" website for a great article on how they are dealing with the embargo. the work being done in agriculture in cuba is a "bad example" for american agribusiness barracudas. doctors and educators from cuba are helping the poor in venezuela, another bad example. of course it's communism, i mean terrorism, i
mean.... well gotta stop these do gooders.
and no it is not perfect but everyone gets health care and a low energy lifestyle is comin' ready or not.

[Jerseygirltoo]

18. I agree poe

The Cubans have been very generous in providing doctors to poor countries around the world. Now they are giving free medical training to AMERICANS who want to be doctors but can't afford medical school.See this article for the whole story. It came from the New England Journal of Medicine.

[poe]

19. cuba-venezuela and how do you put up a link

for more info on what cubans are doing in venezuela go to< www.globalresearch.ca> and read saul landau's article "venezuela keeps hope alive." cuban doctors have also done great work in haiti but i am unsure if the situation in haiti allows them any possibilities thanks to roger noriega and the vulgar slave traders at the u.s. state department. haiti is another bad example, black folk asserting their independence. the french never forgot and were despicable bystanders or worse in the feb. overthrow of aristide. maybe that 22 billion aristide was demanding for reparations upset chirac.
by the way how does one put up a "see this article" so the reader can go directly to the article as you did in your post?

[jjtss]

14. Divine Providence

Cuba had a need and divine providence provided. Couldn't happen to a more deserving dictator!!!!! Hope G. Brish leaves them alone. May they prosper in peace!!!!!!

[Judi Lynn]

16. More articles on the renewal of E.U. and Cuban ties

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1139637

[genieroze]

20. Cuba has oil, when do we invade, Um eh, liberate them? n/t

[daleo]

21. The good news is, Canadian oil companies helped Cuba find oil

The bad news is, U.S. oil companies found out about it. 100 million barrels is worth about $5 billion - is this enough to finance an invasion?

[NorthernSpy]

22. watch out for a sudden burning desire to fuck with Cuba

We must now liberate the oi--ppressed people of Cuba. Yeah, oppressed people. Time to liberate 'em!

Either that or a sudden burning desire to put aside differences and start pumping.

Different sectors of the ruling class will favor different responses to this new development. So I guess it could go either way.

[bling bling]

23. Pull the boys oughtta Iraq, Rummy --

Cuba suddenly needs some democratizin'.

[NickB79]

24. 100 million barrels is a tiny amount of oil in the eyes of the US

We burn almost 20 million barrels PER DAY, so this entire reserve only has enough to last the US ~5 days, if drilled completely.