How Badly Does Castro Need Chavez, Pt. 2?

capitolhillcubans

Russia's deepwater off-shore drill

So badly, that he's willing to risk his tourism industry over the need to replace Chavez's energy subsidies, in case Chavismo fades with Chavez.

After three failed attempts at deepwater off-shore drilling -- in partnership with Spain's Repsol, Malaysia's Petronas and Venezuela's PDVSA -- the Castro regime is now going to attempt coastal drilling off its pristine beaches.

Thus, in partnership with Russia's Zarubezhneft, the Castro regime will attempt to drill right-off its popular beach resort of Cayo Santa Maria, in the Villa Clara province, which the Cuban military has spent over a decade developing.

Needless to say, if there was some sort of accident, Castro's tourism industry would be overwhelmingly affected, as would The Bahamas nearby. However, this coastal block, in the central part of the island, would have a near negligible effect on the U.S.

Tourism is the Castro regime's second largest source of revenue. The first is Chavez's generous subsidies, consisting of 115,000 barrels of oil per day.

Therefore, Castro needs Chavez's oil so badly, that he's willing to risk his second largest revenue stream to try to replace it -- and in the process, perhaps lose both.