CUBA-VENEZUELA Two-way cooperation

www.granma.cu Havana. January 31,  2003

THE Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX) recently refuted a claim that the Chávez government is donating oil to Cuba, a claim it qualified as a "gross lie by fascists and coup organizers" within the Venezuelan opposition, circulated by the privately owned media to confuse the public in that country.

These evil-intentioned persons, states a note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs dated January 9 and reproduced in its entirety in Granma International (No.2), "are overlooking the hundreds of millions of dollars paid by Cuba to PDVSA (Petróleos de Venezuela), fully meeting its commitments month by month, cent by cent, not without some effort and sacrifice, as well as "the effects on our economy (of more than $200 million USD), "by their Olympian omission that no ‘present’ whatsoever exists and that the signed Cooperation Agreement is not one-sided but of two-way benefit."

The documents points out: "In contrast, what has Cuba’s attitude been? Has the island perchance caused some damage to Venezuela?" It moves on to quote various examples of the island’s cooperation with "that sister nation:

"A total of 748 Cuban doctors, nurses and health technicians have freely given their services in dangerous places and the remotest areas of Venezuelan territory where no such services existed." In the locations where they have worked, it points out, the infant mortality rate has been reduced from 19.5 to 3.9 per one thousand live births.

It notes that 380 young Venezuelans, "in their overwhelming majority from modest backgrounds," are studying, likewise free of charge, at the island’s Latin American School of Medical Science.

"A total of 3,042 Venezuelan patients, in their majority suffering from serious disorders and injuries, have been freely treated in Cuban health institutions. That treatment, including a large number of highly complex operations, would have cost the Venezuelan government tens of millions of dollars," adds the MINREX statement. It notes that "adding on the free services offered by Cuba, its value would rise to more than $100 million USD in barely two years¼ "

It likewise refers to the fact that "600 Cuban trainers and other sports technicians have been working in many cities and areas of Venezuela" to promote the development of physical education and sports among the population. "For this cooperation — which is not free of charge — Cuba has received an income far below the average amount charged in professional fees by specialists from other nations or from its own nation, if it had such private-sector professionals."