Chronicle on Cuba - November 2005

Security

November 1: President Hugo Chavez warned he might share Venezuela's US-made F-16 fighters with Cuba and China, accusing the United States of making it difficult for his country to obtain spare parts for the aircraft. Any exchange of military hardware to those countries would break an agreement with the US government on the transfer of technology without Washington's permission and further strain fraying ties between Venezuela and the United States. "If they don't comply with the contract (...) we can do whatever we want with these aircraft, whatever the hell we want. Maybe we'll give 10 planes to Cuba or to China so they can study the technology," Chavez said. “We don't need any US imperialism," he said. The United States does not trade with Cuba and keeps a tight rein on any technology transfers to China. (CNN, Reuters, 2/11/05)

November 1: Communist Cuba said it had no need for F-16 fighter jets offered as a gift by leftist ally President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela. ''We do not need the planes, and he (Chavez) has not made a formal offer,'' said Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque. Chavez said his government may give its US-made F-16 fighters to Cuba or China and replace them with Russian or Chinese aircraft after accusing Washington of blocking purchases of US military parts. ''The idea sounds legitimate, because Chavez is quite right in rejecting the United States for refusing to sell spare parts,'' Perez Roque told reporters. The Cuban minister said Venezuela was not a military threat to the United States. ''The US government does not have the moral authority nor the legitimacy to demand arms control by other countries: it is spending no less than 500 billion dollars this year on weapons,'' he said. Perez Roque said he was certain Venezuela would come to Cuba's defense if it was attacked. (Reuters, 5/11/05)

November 5: Cuban and Chinese military leaders have met in Havana to reaffirm ties between the two communist countries. In a meeting at Cuba's Armed Forces Ministry, the country's military chief, Raul Castro, stressed the long-standing friendship between the two nations. He said China's presence on the island will help strengthen relations between Beijing and Havana. His Chinese counterpart, General Liang Guanglie, said his visit will help strengthen what he called the "historic" ties between the government, armed forces and people of both countries. Following the meeting, the high-level Chinese delegation toured a tank base on the outskirts of Havana, where members were given details on the structure, mission and history of the military facility. (VOA, 5/11/05)