Posted on 08/30/2005 1:39:55 PM PDT by Victor
CARACAS (AFP) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez offered to send food and fuel to the United States after the powerful Hurricane Katrina pummeled the US south, ravaging US crude production.
The leftist leader, a frequent critic of the United States and a target himself of US disapproval, said Venezuela could send aid workers with drinking water, food and fuel to US communities hit by the hurricane.
"We place at the disposition of the people of the United States in the event of shortages -- we have drinking water, food, we can provide fuel," Chavez told reporters.
Chavez said fuel could be sent to the United States via a Citgo refinery that has not been affected by the hurricane. Citgo is owned by Venezuela's state-owned oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA).
In the Gulf of Mexico, which accounts for a quarter of total US oil output, 92 percent of crude and 83 percent of natural gas production were shut down due to Hurricane Katrina, which slammed Louisiana and Mississippi, according to US government data.
Venezuela is the fourth-largest provider of oil to the United States, supplying some 1.5 million barrels a day.
Last week, Chavez offered discount gasoline to poor Americans suffering from high oil prices and on Sunday offered free eye surgery for Americans without access to health care.
This week he called on the President of the United States to extradite Pat Robertson to Venezuela for punishment. I don't think we should be dealing Chavez at all. If it were up to me, we wouldn't use his oil either.
Maybe Pat Robertson will be the laison for this noble effort from Fidel's good friend.
Not a word from the UK or Australia.
Yeah right! Wake me when the 1st Tamker rolls in!
Who is "they?"
Isn't Citgo owned by these folks?
Exactly, but it is to our advantage in the long term, because we will get the aid he is offering. Also, it will take the heat off of him from us, but the iranian mullahs are going to be angry with him for doing this, thus defusing the creation of a possible oil axis.
Trickly lil' SOB, ain't he. In all honesty, if it is a real strings-free offer, it would put President Bush in a hard spot to turn it down. We still have no idea how bad it will get before NO is completely underwater. My worst-case scenario - they'll never get the water back out of it....
And where is that pukeface that called our entire nation "CHEAP" as we were almost singlehandedly feeding every tsunami victim we or anyone else could find!
What flavor of KOOL-Aid are you drinking?
When people are watching everything they own get ripped away, when they are devastated, without food or shelter, and devoid of hope, it is no time to assert prideful, political spite. Accepting aid in time of need from one that you would under normal conditions consider an adversary is not weakness, any more than offering it when the conditions are reversed is a sign of superiority.
Sometimes even those you hate help their fellow man in times of disaster.
I'll believe it when I see it but really, I don't remember anyone else making an offer like this after a disaster like this. God can reach the hardest hearts. Remember Nebbachadnezzer.
Expect to see NO ONE from Hollywood donate. Oh, there MIGHT be a fundraiser but youre dreamin if you think they'll donate.
Thjat was then, this is now.
Chavez is a problem but accepting his gesture of aid is an excellant step in the right direction. The proper exercise of power involves adroit dealing with ones opponents. We have vast two way trade and there are more people interested in maintaining the trade than opposing it.
Except it to go up another $1.00 to $1.50 by the end of the week if not sooner.
Well, I finally found something that shows the UN has at least heard of Hurricane Katrina. Too bad the extent of the 'aid' they are offering amounts to basically telling us we should have been better prepared. But the good news is this disaster will 'provide an opportune moment for the media to pass the message that it is important for all to be prepared in the future.'
Thank God for the UN. Everything is all better now. /sarcasm
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