Some US Lawmakers Back Venezuela Sanctions to Loosen Cuba Ties

Analysts: Some US Lawmakers Back Venezuela Sanctions to Loosen Cuba Ties
Brian Padden
March 14, 2014

WASHINGTON — In the United States, Cuban American politicians are some
of the most vocal critics of the Venezuelan government for what they say
has been its violent repression of ongoing anti-government
demonstrations across the country. While these staunch anti-communist
lawmakers have led efforts to punish the Venezuelan leadership with
sanctions, some say their goal may may be to destabilize Cuba.

Senator Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, Senator Robert Menendez,
a Democrat from New Jersey, and Republican Congresswoman Ileana
Ros-Lehtinen from Florida are Cuban Americans who have led efforts in
Congress to impose sanctions on Venezuela.

The limited sanctions that include banning visas and freezing the U.S.
assets of Venezuela's leaders will send a message -- they say --
condemning the use of force against anti-government protesters there.

Strategic goal

Their motivation is in part strategic, though, according to William
LeoGrande, Professor of Latin American politics at American University.
The goal, he said, is to break up Venezuela's close alliance with Cuba
and end the flow of cheap oil the Venezuelan government provides to
Castro's communist regime.

"If the current government of Venezuela were to be overthrown, a
conservative government would probably cut that assistance to Cuba and
thereby destabilize the situation in Cuba. That, I think, is what
conservative Cuban Americans are after," said LeoGrande.

There is public anger in Venezuela about basic food and supply
shortages, rampant inflation and the high crime rate, fueling sometimes
violent demonstrations in this oil-rich country.

Venezuela's leaders blame the United States for inciting and supporting
the demonstrations. The U.S. has denied any such involvement.

Targeting Cuba

Cuban American leaders like Rubio blame Cuba for orchestrating
Venezuela's use of force against the protesters.

"… the government of Venezuela, which are puppets of Havana, completely
infiltrated by Cubans and agents from Havana. Not agents, openly,
foreign military affairs officials involved in Venezuela," said Rubio.

Carl Meacham, the director of the Americas Program at the Center for
Strategic and International Studies, said this assertion
mischaracterizes the longstanding socialist alliance that began during
the presidency of the late Hugo Chavez.

"So I think that even though that relationship is clear and that
partnership is beneficial to both countries, I think the Venezuelans are
in the driver's seat of the developments we are seeing," said Meacham.

While the Cuba connection may be a motivating factor for some, these
analysts say broad support for sanctions in the U.S. Congress is driven
by a desire to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Venezuela
and to avert any potential for instability in the region.

Source: Analysts: Some US Lawmakers Back Venezuela Sanctions to Loosen
Cuba Ties -
http://www.voanews.com/content/analysts-some-us-lawmakers-back-venezuela-sanctions-to-loosen-cuba-ties/1871743.html