Chavez, thorn in Bush’s side and economic lifeline for Cuba another thorn in Bush’ side, is also gaining vast influence in the Caribbean along with that major thorn in Bush’s side, China.
The Caribbean- Chávez was in Jamaica Tuesday to finalize details on the PetroCaribe agreement signed in June. The deal, which is meant to help small Caribbean economies cope with high fuel prices, offers generous financing for oil sales and favorable rates in exchange for goods, services, or credit. Thirteen of the 15 members of the Caribbean Community group, or Caricom, have already signed on. #msg-7487003
China is waging an aggressive campaign of seduction in the Caribbean, wooing countries away from relationships with rival Taiwan, opening markets for its expanding economy, promising to send tourists, and shipping police to Haiti in the first communist deployment in the Western Hemisphere. #msg-5859727
-Am
Dominicans said mulling relationship with China
2006-04-08 / Taiwan News, Staff Reporter and AGENCIES / By Evelyn Chiang
Taiwan was left facing the prospect of losing another ally yesterday after the Dominican Republic's foreign minister reportedly said it would consider diplomatic relations with China - another sign of the PRC's growing influence in the Caribbean.
According to Dominican Foreign Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso, Dominican President Leonel Fernandez is to visit Taiwan in June.
"We are going to look at Taiwan's offers and we will see if Taiwan or China is better for the Dominican Republic," the Associated Press quoted Troncoso as saying on a Dominican television program called "One Plus One."
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesman Michel Lu (呂慶龍) said the remarks would need to be verified before he could comment as the two countries have been maintaining cordial and friendly ties.
Lu said the Caribbean nation had continuously demonstrated its support of Taiwan's efforts to participate in international organizations such as the United Nations and the World Health Organization. Lu noted that President Fernandez had addressed a gathering of the country's 40 ambassadors on January 13, during which he stressed that the Dominican Republic would continue to maintain its friendly diplomatic ties with the Republic of China while developing economic and trade relations with China at the same time.
Taiwan has invited Fernandez to visit Taiwan this year and has been discussing related details, Lu said.
He observed that visits between leaders from the two countries are normal diplomatic activities aimed at promoting cooperation and friendship and should not be considered in terms of "interest" or "gain."
"I believe the Dominican Republic's government will follow this diplomatic principle when planning President Fernandez's visit to Taiwan," Lu noted.
Meanwhile, during a telephone with the Taiwan News, Taiwan's ambassador to the Dominican Republic Feng Chi-tai said diplomatic ties with the Caribbean ally are still rock-solid.
Feng dismissed the comments attributed to Troncoso as inaccurate, saying: "Troncoso told me he said during the TV interview that President Fernandez has vowed to maintain the country's diplomatic relations with Taiwan during his presidential tenure and the bilateral ties have been close since President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) visit last September."
Last year, President Chen Shui-bian toured the Caribbean and Central America to muster support among the shrinking list of countries with which Taiwan has formal ties. Fernandez and Chen signed a pact pledging to keep relations intact and discuss a potential free trade pact.
Officials at the Dominican Embassy in Taipei could not be reached yesterday for comment.
Caracas, 12 abr (Prensa Latina) Venezuelan groups announced on Wednesday a protest over the UN military presence in the Caribbean and especially a military exercise that will mobilize more than 6,500 marines.
Commander William Izarra, former Venezuelan deputy foreign minister, considered that military operations are trying to threaten the progressive governments of the region.
"I think this is an exercise to threaten, a demonstration of force to generate fear in Latin American progressive governments," he said.
Izarra highlighted that the US General of the Southern Command Bantz Craddock, has stated several times that the Government of the President Hugo Chavez cannot be tolerated in Washington.
The demonstration includes a convoy in the south of Venezuela and an anti-imperialist encampment to condemn the US pressures against Venezuela and the progressives' countries of the region.
Market Data 
Markets 
AI
