Pro-Venezuela protest to greet US negotiator in Cuba

Pro-Venezuela protest to greet US negotiator in Cuba
Last Updated: Monday, March 16, 2015 - 11:49

Caracas: The US negotiator for normal diplomatic ties with Cuba was due
to return to Havana on Sunday -- just as thousands rally to support
close ally Venezuela in a mounting row with Washington.

Roberta Jacobson, the top US diplomat for Latin America, is following up
on the historic breakthrough announced in December that Cold War foes
the United States and Cuba will seek to normalize relations after five
decades of bad blood.

Cuba, the Americas` only one-party communist-run state, is socialist
Venezuela`s closest regional partner. Venezuelan aid props up the
centrally planned Cuban economy.

But Venezuela`s economy is also in trouble and despite sitting atop the
world`s largest oil reserves, the country has slipped into economic
crisis, with record high inflation and shortages of even the most basic
needs, such as milk, toilet paper or diapers.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro blames the United States and has
accused Washington of supporting a coup to oust him.

Even as it draws closer to the United States, authorities in the Cuban
capital Havana organized a concert on the steps of the University of
Havana later Sunday "to support the Bolivarian (Venezuelan) people and
government... for peace, justice and Latin American unity."

Artists will show support for the Venezuelan people "suffering under the
recent aggressive (US) escalation," one of the organizers told the
Juventud Rebelde newspaper.

It was not immediately clear how the noisy show of Venezuelan support
would impact talks Monday between Jacobson and Cuban counterpart
Josefina Vidal. US-Venezuelan relations hit a new low last week when US
President Barack Obama slapped new sanctions on Maduro`s government,
calling Venezuela "an extraordinary threat to the national security" of
the United States.

Caracas responded by angrily recalling its envoy to Washington and
ramping up its military preparedness.

Obama is believed to want to head to the Summit of the Americas in
Panama on April 10-11 with diplomatic ties with Cuba restored and their
respective embassies reopened.

But with its sanctions of Venezuela, "the United States has done serious
damage to the atmosphere regionally just ahead of the Summit of the
Americas," Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said in Caracas on
Saturday.

"I hope the US government understands that it cannot wave a carrot at
Cuba and a stick at Venezuela. The era of the carrot and the stick is over.

"The era of treating Latin America and the Caribbean like they were the
United States` back yard is over."

"I am sure Latin America and the Caribbean will react forcefully and
firmly against the threats Venezuela has received," the top Cuban
diplomat stressed.

Earlier Sunday, Venezuelan lawmakers voted to give Maduro special powers
to go it alone in defense and public safety affairs.

The decree powers were approved by a show of hands in the National
Assembly -- which is packed with Maduro allies -- after two hours of
debate. They will be in effect until the end of the year.

AFP

First Published: Monday, March 16, 2015 - 11:49

Source: Pro-Venezuela protest to greet US negotiator in Cuba | Zee News
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