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Chavez writes off Haiti's oil debt to Venezuela
Irish Sun
Tuesday 26th January, 2010
(IANS)
Caracas, Jan 26 (IANS/EFE) President Hugo Chavez has announced that he will write off the undisclosed sum Haiti owes Venezuela for oil as part of a regional bloc's plans to help the impoverished Caribbean nation after the devastating Jan 12 earthquake.
'Haiti has no debt with Venezuela, just the opposite: Venezuela has a historical debt with that nation, with that people for whom we feel not pity but rather admiration, and we share their faith, their hope,' Chavez said after the extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas, or ALBA.
He also announced that ALBA has decided on a comprehensive plan that includes an immediate donation of $20 million to Haiti's health sector, and a fund that, Chavez said, will be at least $100 million 'for starters'.
Oil-rich Venezuela is the economic heart of ALBA, which also includes Cuba, Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Haiti is among several countries that send observers to ALBA meetings.
Chavez said one part of ALBA assistance to Haiti would consist of fuel distribution via 'mobile service stations' set to be up and running within a few weeks.
The ALBA plan of aid for Haiti includes support for such sectors as agriculture, production, food imports and distribution, and immigration amnesty for Haitians living illegally in the bloc's member-states.
Cuba and Venezuela sent assistance and aid workers to Haiti within days of the magnitude-7.0 temblor that left over 100,000 dead and 1.5 million people homeless.
--IANS/EFE
rd/jg
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Comments on this story
| By Molly O'Malley, 01-26-10, 02:36 PM |
Chavez writes off Haiti's oil debt to VenezuelaI wish Hugo Chavez was president of America for life. We here in America are so hopelessly fascist since gbush stole two elections.hillary clinton would be our president if it were not for the many states who use the caucus system for dem. primaries.
In NH, which makes or breaks a presidential run, Obama won the hand counts..hillary the machine vote. She and bill have both tried to do away with caucuses. Which is a paper ballot, tallied at the polls. |
| By Ian McFerran, 01-28-10, 09:55 AM |
GoodI don’t know much about President Hugo Chavez and I never vote but... well done President Hugo Chavez! In these dark times of corruption, scandal and double dealing, it’s nice to see there are still some people in the world who are willing to do the right thing! |
| By ag, 01-28-10, 01:56 PM |
big heartWhat a great human being. The US asked Haiti to pay back what they owe and Chavez writes offs their debts.Some thing for the people who believe they are the greatest nation on the face of the planet to think about!!! |
| By johnny99, 01-28-10, 02:13 PM |
HUGO!HUGO!This guy blows my mind, a few months ago I was looking for a new planet to live on as this one was going to hell, then I started reading about Hugo, this guy is real and he gave me hope, only thing is, he is going to piss off the right people and his life will be in jeopardy. |
| By Anonymous, 01-28-10, 05:36 PM |
True HumanityHugo Chavez has suffered at the hands of the US as has it’s native people. The people found their voice and the truth and demanded that Chavez be reinstated to his rightful place. Chavez extends true humanity to those who have suffered at the hands of the US and other corupt government lizards in positions of power who have used the Haitian disaster as an opportunity to blackmail, dominate, profit from and control the country. Long live Chavez! |
| By Dunny, 01-28-10, 05:54 PM |
ChavezHats off to not only Chavez but, The Irish Sun as well. The main street media in the USA and Canada would rather gargle with clorine than publish anything good about Mr Chavez or the Americas for that matter! |
| By xoxo, 01-28-10, 07:58 PM |
WOWChavez writes debt off and the US wants
Haitis oil. WOW |
| By Meas, 01-28-10, 08:06 PM |
The Truth ALWAYS comes out.At last a Newspaper prepared to write the truth rather than the corporate controlled media lies who politically double-deal and hide whats really going on. Chavez is the real deal and the people are waking up to succesive American/British government propaganda about the man. He’s a true humanitarian. |
| By Janina, 01-28-10, 09:04 PM |
Chavez writes off Haiti's oil debt to Venezuela I have full admiration for President Hugo Chavez. What a wonderful example of a human being caring for others in a time of need. President Chavez and the people of Venezuela (reference to the âThe War on Democracyâ by John Pilgerâ google video) are an inspiration to all decent human beings.
I only wish there was an opportunity for the people around the World to be able to donate their money (and not just 1 penny for every given pound) directly to the people of Haiti, and any other people in similar circumstances. I am very reluctant to give donations these days, because often the money ends up in the hands of individuals that are not interested in saving lives, but in destroying them.
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| By snipper, 01-29-10, 12:27 AM |
A Great leader of his peopleHugo Chavez, agreat leader of his people and his country a true humanitarian giving help to such a degree, to a country in great need is indeed to be recomended.To you Hugo Chavez, sir i salute you. |
| By Wild Will, 01-29-10, 12:43 AM |
Citizens OilRemember 'Citizen’s Oil'?? Cheap oil for America that OUR government DISSED. A lot of these guys are our friends, but don’t let THAT get in the way of politics...BRAVO, Chavez !! |
| By Anonymous, 01-29-10, 03:09 AM |
Wow you people!Chavez does ONE good thing and you people think he’s a God or something... You people are you easily manipulated! |
| By smiley, 01-29-10, 06:16 AM |
to idiot above meAnd what did you country do?? The same? I doubt it. My country does not give a f**k about Haiti.
Well done chavez. |
| By BLIND, 01-29-10, 04:01 PM |
HOW MUCH?WHEN I READ THIS NEWS, I AM GLAD TO HEAR THAT WE CAN HELP THOSE IN NEED.
BUT I WONDER: HOW MUCH WILL COST , TO REPAIR THE ENERGY SUPPY,S PLANTS THE WATER SUPPLY SOURCES AND HOW CAN WE SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF SECURITY IN VENEZUELA? IT WILL BE THAT âEL ALBAâ THEN HELP US?DO THEY?
OR WILL BE THAT I AM BLIND AND I AM SEEING OTHER COUNTRY BUT VENEZUELA?
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| By FlipVicious, 01-29-10, 10:14 PM |
ChavezPresident Hugo Chavez - my hat goes off to you. To me you are a symbol of fair politics and equal rights and your suspicion as to the US foreign is warrented. Stay strong, Mr. Chavez. |
| By FlipVicious, 01-29-10, 10:16 PM |
To: By Anonymous, 01-29-10, 03:09 AM Wow you people! Do a little reading, buddy. He is a glimpse of hope in a world of crap-throwing at oil-rich nations. Castro was also unfairly painted with the CIA brush. |
| By ang, 01-29-10, 11:46 PM |
chavezI’ve been following Chavez ever since the US tried to illegally oust him involving the CIA way back in the day; it did’nt work because the Venezualans knew what was up and wanted a true leader in that country to keep American greed and influence out of their political and cultural lives. More power to him!!!! |
| By Vosg, 01-30-10, 02:31 AM |
I am VenezuelanHello everybody. I have to say that the act of Chavez is indeed remarkable. It’s very beautiful at a time when a country is in so much need of the world to help them. On the other hand, Chavez like most leaders in this world has an agenda. Let’s start by saying that He’s about to be re-elect and has lost popularity in this country big time. A country he has turned upside down, turning everybody against each other. I mean he literally goes on TV and ask people to go and fight each other WITH WEAPONS!! This is a place where people don’t smile anymore. Just today the headlines of the newspaper show how police awfully brutalized students for protesting their rights to free speech. The country also has a deficit of power and water. Few days a weeks the country goes without water because they have no money to fix the problem? It’s one of the countries with the most crimes and a lot of them headed by the police, because they are underpaid. I mean you can find cops robbing your own car and they don’t even care you know. People are literally afraid to leave their home at certain hours. The basic salary is of about $600 per week. That’s how much groceries cost for a week supply for a family of 4 (only the basics)and so on... So my question to all of you is: Would you go and ONLY fix your neighbor’s house if yours in crumbling?... BTW I’m not against Chavez or with him. I’m just a seeker of the truth. So I propose, NO MORE GOVERNMENTS. We are not children to be told what to do! |
| By Vosg, 01-30-10, 02:47 AM |
I fORGOTThe Video reference by John Pilgera is true. He has helped the poor to understand they matter too. (something I admire very much) But I think more than giving them, they also need education. And that’s very much missing here. Educating the people would destroy him. Because they won’t need him anymore. If I give you a house, you won’t ever learn how to do build one for yourself, so you would have to come to me to get it. That’s how most leaders stay in power. |
| By tom terrifc, 01-30-10, 08:33 AM |
compassionI don’t know much about the politics of Venezuela. I would think that President Chavez, like all world leaders, has many complex situations to deal with. So, regardless of the reason(s) that he wrote off Haiti’s debt to Venezuela he wrote the debt off.
The IMF loaned Haiti money after the earthquake. This loan is on top of previous loans that will further burden the peoples of Haiti as that loaned money comes with many strings attached called austerity programs that are directly harmful to the citizens who live in the countries that receive such loans.
The US is continuing its occupation of Haiti and is going for Haiti’s resources, oil and minerals while the survivors of the earthquake are in refugee camps being fired upon by peacekeeping troops for being desperately hungry.
So, whatever President Chavez’s motivations in this matter he made the decision to act with compassion instead of greed.
I think it is always best to support compassion and compassionate acts.
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| By tom terrifc, 01-30-10, 08:34 PM |
compassionI don’t know much about the politics of Venezuela. I would think that President Chavez, like all world leaders, has many complex situations to deal with. So, regardless of the reason(s) that he wrote off Haiti’s debt to Venezuela he wrote the debt off.
The IMF loaned Haiti money after the earthquake. This loan is on top of previous loans that will further burden the peoples of Haiti as that loaned money comes with many strings attached called austerity programs that are directly harmful to the citizens who live in the countries that receive such loans.
The US is continuing its occupation of Haiti and is going for Haiti’s resources, oil and minerals while the survivors of the earthquake are in refugee camps being fired upon by peacekeeping troops for being desperately hungry.
So, whatever President Chavez’s motivations in this matter he made the decision to act with compassion instead of greed.
I think it is always best to support compassion and compassionate acts.
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| By Granny, 02-01-10, 01:27 AM |
Hugo the saint?Please! Do your research on Hugo. One act of apparent kindness does not a statesman make. Go visit Venezuela — but take your body guard because you’ll need it. Enjoy the government censored media. Make sure you visit the political prisoners while you are there, too.
We Americans are the saints. Our govt committed 100 million one day after the earthquake, sent our troops, doctors, etc. And we aren’t doing it to grandstand. |
| By DoTheMath, 02-02-10, 03:08 PM |
Undisclosed sum?It’s been reported repeatedly, and quoted by one of their ambassadors that the amount of the debt they wrote off was over 295,000,000 US dollars. And then they send a full oil tanker, rescue teams and doctors.
Chavez has halved poverty in his country, started education programs for people in slums, and survived a coup. The US took control of Haitian airspace, and allowed troops to land, while turning back foreign aid, especially from countries it didn’t like.
Haiti has been a place for US corporations to set up sweat shops to make baseballs, T-shirts and other stuff. Ever since it got independence one power after another has tried to keep it down. The French, Germans, and the US have each taken turns. Haiti is not poor by accident nor by its own fault. |
| By kira, 02-04-10, 05:28 PM |
On who is HugoWell, I have been to Venezuela, was there for a month...no I did not need a body guard. In fact most people I talked to, on the bus, on the streets, the market place and the doctors office, the great majority where for the government. I stayed with a group of young students who lived in a small town called |
| By kira, 02-04-10, 05:29 PM |
On who is HugoWell, I have been to Venezuela, was there for a month...no I did not need a body guard. In fact most people I talked to, on the bus, on the streets, the market place and the doctors office, the great majority where for the government. I stayed with a group of young students who lived in a small town called |
| By kira, 02-04-10, 05:30 PM |
On who is HugoWell, I have been to Venezuela, was there for a month...no I did not need a body guard. In fact most people I talked to, on the bus, on the streets, the market place and the doctors office, the great majority where for the government. I stayed with a group of young students who lived in a small town called |
| By kira, 02-04-10, 05:31 PM |
On who is HugoWell, I have been to Venezuela, was there for a month...no I did not need a body guard. In fact most people I talked to, on the bus, on the streets, the market place and the doctors office, the great majority where for the government. I stayed with a group of young students who lived in a small town called |
| By Kira, 02-04-10, 05:32 PM |
On who is Hugo (continues) |
| By kira, 02-04-10, 05:33 PM |
continues ..why doesnt my cpmment post? |
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