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 News from Around the Americas | August 2007 
Chavez Says the US is Siphoning-Off Mexican Reserves
 BYLINE
| | (Cox & Forum) |
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez insists that he had intentions of improving relations with Mexico. In an interview with Mexican political activist, writer and journalist Elena Poniatowska ... who came to Venezuela last week to receive the Romulo Gallegos Novel Prize, Chavez said that he “would like to improve diplomatic, political, social and economic relations with Mexico.”
The Head of State said that since he started governing Venezuela, he has tried to keep good relations with the Aztec nation. Even at the beginning of President Vicente Fox' government (2000), Mexico and Venezuela were having good bilateral relations, with an invitation from Fox for Chavez to attend his swearing in ceremony.
In further stages of Fox’s government, however, relations started to deteriorate when both presidents starred in a microphone war concerning the US position and policies ... a theme on which Fox and Chavez had opposing points of view.
Chavez recalled the IV Summit of the Americas, in Mar de Plata, Argentina in 2005, when Fox defended the US proposal of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) but concerning current President Felipe Calderon, Chavez reminded Poniatowska that when Calderon was competing with leftist Obrador in presidential elections, he used President Chavez' name to discredit his opponent.
Chavez insisted that this “not very ethical” electoral strategy on Calderon's part has made it difficult to improve relations.
“After he won the elections, he expects to have good relations with us. We could have them, but we have dignity and pride. However, we try to turn the page. We have said let's turn the page with Mexico, but it is not easy,” Chavez said.
Chavez also said that the United States is another factor complicating the reestablishment of relations with Mexico. "That country," Chavez said, “does not want Venezuela to have good relations with any country in Latin America, much less with Mexico ... that makes them worry too much, because we have too much to tell Mexicans from our point of view.”
From the Venezuelan President's point of view, the possibility of an oil alliance between Mexico and Venezuela alarms the United States, because it “is siphoning-off Mexican oil and gas reserves.” |
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