Venezuela Threatens Oil Cutoff

In news that will not be too surprising to followers of this blog, Venezuela has threatened to cut off oil exports to the United States if we do not cease unspecified "aggressions".

"We do not want to break relations with the US government; it is not in our plans," Chavez said. "But if the aggressions continue, ... this could put diplomatic relations between Venezuela and the United States at risk."

Washington's attacks could provoke "something more serious: These two daily boats full of Venezuelan oil could head another way instead of going to the United States," warned Chavez, whose country is the fourth-largest provider of oil to the United States, supplying some 1.5 million barrels a day.

"The US market is not indispensable to us," he told thousands of young people taking part in a youth festival at a Caracas arena

This last is true: Venezuela recently inked a big oil contract with China. More to the point, I quote the following from a Miami Herald report:

Reports are that Chavez will redirect the oil he currently exports to America to China by 2007.

So in the meantime, he's going to try to milk us for whatever he can get by threatening to do this sooner.

This is, furthermore, consistent with Hugo Chavez's overall oil strategy. I quote the following from American Thinker.

The stepped-up military activity is no doubt a message to the rest of the Caribbean that not only can the region's bully [, Venezuela,] cut off their oil, it can also put on a vast military show. And because it's actively practicing, it'll be very skilled. This intimidating message won't be lost on any of the countries trapped in the new Venezuela-Cuba oil net - a group which includes Costa Rica, Barbados, Dominican Republic, Trinidad, Jamaica and other states that must buy Venezuelan oil now from Havana. Not only can Chavez cut off their oil, he can also threaten them physically if they don't see things his way. They know very well the U.S. has no intention of invading Venezuela, so the moves are there for them to consider.

With this new threat, Venezuela can, sad to say, probably be certain the U.S. won't intervene should Chavez pull any shenanigans.

-- CAV