In the 1990's, Brazilian oil company Petrobras was granted several oil exploration concessions by the Castro regime in exchange for snubbing Cuban dissidents on the island and exiles abroad.
A recently declassified memo from the Brazilian Foreign Ministry (published in Folha de S. Paulo) describes how in 1993, the Castro regime confirmed to the government of then President Itamar Franco that "the most promising" blocks for oil exploration would not be included in an upcoming public offering.
In exchange, the Brazilian Embassy in Havana purchased and installed a barbed wire fence to counter the risk of being "invaded" by dissidents of the Cuban dictatorship.
And a meeting in Washington, D.C., between Brazil's Ambassador to the U.S., Paulo Tarso Flecha de Lima, and members of the Cuban exile community was vetoed.
Three things to note:
First, how the Castro regime's oil exploration "dog and pony" show dates back to the 1990's.
Secondly, how 20 years later the Castro regime continues to use "oil exploration" as blackmail. Just yesterday, Castro's Foreign Minister brought it up as a negotiation "nugget" for the Obama Administration.
And finally, considering that Petrobras has since pulled out of Cuba (due to poor prospects), it raises the question:
How many of the foreign companies currently holding Cuba drilling concessions are serious investors versus just serving as Castro's geopolitical pawns?
A recently declassified memo from the Brazilian Foreign Ministry (published in Folha de S. Paulo) describes how in 1993, the Castro regime confirmed to the government of then President Itamar Franco that "the most promising" blocks for oil exploration would not be included in an upcoming public offering.
In exchange, the Brazilian Embassy in Havana purchased and installed a barbed wire fence to counter the risk of being "invaded" by dissidents of the Cuban dictatorship.
And a meeting in Washington, D.C., between Brazil's Ambassador to the U.S., Paulo Tarso Flecha de Lima, and members of the Cuban exile community was vetoed.
Three things to note:
First, how the Castro regime's oil exploration "dog and pony" show dates back to the 1990's.
Secondly, how 20 years later the Castro regime continues to use "oil exploration" as blackmail. Just yesterday, Castro's Foreign Minister brought it up as a negotiation "nugget" for the Obama Administration.
And finally, considering that Petrobras has since pulled out of Cuba (due to poor prospects), it raises the question:
How many of the foreign companies currently holding Cuba drilling concessions are serious investors versus just serving as Castro's geopolitical pawns?
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