2008 Woodie Awards
Venezuela, US don't see eye to eye
Professor: Political alliances, oil policy disputes result in clash between government officials on both sides
By: Trish Wallace
Issue date: 3/23/06 Section: News
- Page 1 of 2 next >
Oil is a precious commodity in the world market. Necessary for heating and energy in much of the world, oil is a desirable treasure. Professor Dan Hellinger noted in a symposium lecture that Venezuela has a large oil supply in South America, but U.S. officials are less than amiable with the Venezuelan government.
Hellinger titled his Feb. 28 lecture "Venezuela's Vision and the U.S. Agenda for the Americas."
"I call it a vision because I don't know how well it's thought out," Hellinger said of Venezuela's goals for pan-Americanism.
Hellinger said the U.S. has a vision because President George W. Bush and his officials know what they want.
"I don't think of these as Bush administration policies but as United States administration policies," Hellinger said.
The U.S. and Venezuelan governments simply don't see eye to eye, Hellinger added.
Venezuela is the sixth top supplier of light oil in the world. Unfortunately, Venezuelan oil has a high content of sulfur while the majority of the market looks for "sweet oil," that which has a low sulfur content. Venezuela also holds huge reserves of heavy crude oil, which is very tar-like. Heavy oil is harder to get out of the ground than light oil and requires a chemical balance to dilute the product. The sailing time, though, for oil to be shipped from Venezuela to New Orleans is only about five days.
Some of the animosity between The U.S. States and Venezuela rests in their loyalties to different organizations. The U.S. focuses on groups like the Free Trade Area of the Americas. Venezuela supports the Bolivian Trade Alternative to FTAA for the Americas, which excludes the U.S.
According to Hellinger, the Venezuelan goal is to "first unite all Latin American countries, then negotiate with the United States."
The U.S. system of democracy is pluralist, or based on electoral votes. Venezuela, however, has a protagonist democracy grounded in social movements. The U.S. government would like to see an end to Fidel Castro's regime in Cuba while Venezuela's
Hellinger titled his Feb. 28 lecture "Venezuela's Vision and the U.S. Agenda for the Americas."
"I call it a vision because I don't know how well it's thought out," Hellinger said of Venezuela's goals for pan-Americanism.
Hellinger said the U.S. has a vision because President George W. Bush and his officials know what they want.
"I don't think of these as Bush administration policies but as United States administration policies," Hellinger said.
The U.S. and Venezuelan governments simply don't see eye to eye, Hellinger added.
Venezuela is the sixth top supplier of light oil in the world. Unfortunately, Venezuelan oil has a high content of sulfur while the majority of the market looks for "sweet oil," that which has a low sulfur content. Venezuela also holds huge reserves of heavy crude oil, which is very tar-like. Heavy oil is harder to get out of the ground than light oil and requires a chemical balance to dilute the product. The sailing time, though, for oil to be shipped from Venezuela to New Orleans is only about five days.
Some of the animosity between The U.S. States and Venezuela rests in their loyalties to different organizations. The U.S. focuses on groups like the Free Trade Area of the Americas. Venezuela supports the Bolivian Trade Alternative to FTAA for the Americas, which excludes the U.S.
According to Hellinger, the Venezuelan goal is to "first unite all Latin American countries, then negotiate with the United States."
The U.S. system of democracy is pluralist, or based on electoral votes. Venezuela, however, has a protagonist democracy grounded in social movements. The U.S. government would like to see an end to Fidel Castro's regime in Cuba while Venezuela's