Cuba will advise Venezuela… on energy?

It is the reverse of what might be expected: the oil-rich, OPEC-member country Venezuela will be counseled through its energy crisis by the small island nation of Cuba, which is renowned for its blackouts and imposed rationing of electricity amid energy shortages of its own. Caracas, which supplies the bulk of Cuba’s oil supplies, turned this week to Havana for consulting advice on how to confront shortages.

Cuban Vice President Ramiro Valdes leads the consulting team in Caracas, an appointment that has angered the Venezuelan opposition. Chavez has cited Cuba’s “valuable experience” as reason enough to seek help from Havana. His government is installing tens of thousands of energy saving light bulbs imported from Cuba, and Cubans have already begun a cloud-seeding effort that it hopes will ease the drought. (The drought, according to Chavez, is the cause of the energy shortage). But Chavez has also followed other Cuban examples, with planned and unplanned blackouts across the country and partially shutting down some businesses in order to save energy.

Lead opposition in Venezuela criticizes Valdes’ qualifications for the consulting job. “What he’s done in Cuba is impose rationing,” said one, “He’s not en expert in investment, maintenance and production.” That is what both of these countries need.

(AP Photo/Javier Galeano)