This article by the Miami Herald recently came to my attention. It touches the subject of Aruba's proximity to Venezuela and to Venezuela's ruler, Hugo Chavez.
The general opinion in Aruba is that Chavez is kind of crazy. We are also very much aware of the cold relations between Venezuela and the U.S. We also know that we are a base for the U.S. on several fronts.
The article says:
Tensions between the islands and Venezuela appear to have grown as a result of the increasingly combative rhetoric between Washington and Caracas, and Venezuela's increased relations with its Caribbean neighbors. In addition to expanding relations with Cuba, Venezuela also has reached out to the rest of the islands with offers of discounted oil and refinery upgrades.
I'm not sure that the relations between Aruba and Venezuela have worsened, but the entire populations is aware that we are heavily dependent on the U.S. for our economy, and if those two will pick a fight with each other .... Things can turn decidedly ugly.
According to an American official:
''This is very much the tempest in the teapot,'' Erikson said. ``There is an unsettled climate around Venezuela's regional ambitions. . . . But while there might be a nervousness there, I just don't see Venezuela having any serious designs on the Netherlands Antilles.''
Yes, honey, that's easy for you to say, but when you live in Aruba, which is ohsoclose to Venezuela, a nervous eye will always be cast to our very large neighbor to the south.
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