Caribbean & Central America - May 2007 (ISSN 1741-4458)

The Haitian President, René Préval, is taking advantage of the Caracas-Washington struggle for power in Latin America to press forward the development of his country. In the past month Préval went to Venezuela, where he was promised an even more extensive supply of oil, and to the US, where he received praise for good governance and more pledges of assistance to strengthen Haiti's institutions and to fight the drug trade.  

Préval went to Caracas in late April to participate in the presidential summit of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (Alba). Alba is the brainchild of the Venezuelan President, Hugo Chávez , and was proposed, as its name suggests, as an alternative to the liberal free trade agreements pursued by Washington. Haiti is currently an observer in the group. Significantly, in his most generous offer yet, Chávez vowed to supply all the energy needs of Venezuela's Alba partners and extended the offer to Haiti. "I have come here to propose to the member countries of Alba, and in that I already include Haiti, that Venezuela guarantee the supply of all your energy needs. One hundred percent," he declared during the summit.  

Haiti already receives from Venezuela 7,000bpd at beneficial conditions under Chávez 's Petrocaribe initiative. The latter promise, however, is even more alluring as the Venezuelan leader seems willing to finance half of the oil bill, instead of 25% of it under Petrocaribe terms, and also create a matching fund to finance agricultural projects, food-production and small-size industries with the cash received by Venezuela's Alba partners. The offer reveals Chávez 's eager interest in Haiti as a platform to reach other Caribbean nations and lure them into his sphere of influence. Indeed, the country was one of the destinations during Chávez 's counter-tour of the US President, George W Bush, to Latin America in March. [RC-07-03]  

A few days after the Alba summit Préval went to Washington to meet Bush. This was his first official visit to the US since being elected last year. Bush praised Préval's efforts to "bring security and prosperity" to Haiti. Bush went on to say that much had been done "on establishing the rule of law and routing out corruption". This was a clear vote of confidence in the Haitian administration aimed at attracting investors to the country. Significantly, Bush vowed to continue helping Haiti's government to boost strengthen institutions in the war-thorn Caribbean nation with more economic aid.  

Bush also acknowledged Préval's concerns with Haitian immigrants living illegally in the US and said he had "assured [Préval] he was working hard to get a comprehensive bill passed in congress". The issue of drug smuggling, which divides the two governments, was mentioned only briefly outside closed doors. The US government deemed Haiti as an operational point in the drug trade from South America to the US. Significantly, a recent state department report claimed that clandestine planes fly from Venezuela to Haiti carrying drugs, which are then exchanged for weapons and cash. The Venezuelan government dismissed the report as a "provocation" and a "lie".  

Playing the game
In a daring move Préval signed the Alba declaration condemning the US for allowing a rightwing terrorist, Luí­s Posadas Carriles, to go free despite Venezuela's request from his extradition. As expected that did not play well in the US and Bush warned Préval over promises that "are not delivered". Indeed, it is yet to be seen whether Chávez is in a position to follow through with his pledge since Venezuela's oil production is down and there are not many refineries outside the US that are capable of refining it into usable products.