Lukashenka and Chavez’s oil risky undertakings

An honorary citizen of Caracas Lukashenka has confessed that Belarus is going through “the most difficult period”.

In response Hugo Chavez promised to supply to our country 80,000 barrels of crude oil.

As informed by “Salidarnasts” newspaper, Venezuelan children greeted Alyaksandr Lukashenka right near the plane with the words: “Welcome, Mister President!” And after the state anthems of the two countries were played, the leader of Belarus was given a key of an honorary citizen of Caracas.

Lukashenka, who arrived to Venezuela on March 16, immediately called the visit a special one. “We are going through the most difficult period probably,” the ruler of Belarus confessed.

By all accounts, Lukashenka meant the situation with energy resources. Conditions of deliveries of Russian oil to Belarus this year are much worse than in the last one. As a result, the oil processing industry of Belarus in January-February 2010 decreased the volume of production by 40.5% as compared to the analogous period of 2009.

However, Lukashenka does not want “even the opposition to think that we have arrived to earn something, in the great scheme of things or on trifles”. He noted that Belarusians are ready to put everything they have to the common cup. And he also stated: “Certainly, we will ask your support in this period so difficult for us… But it is not connected with money, there are more important things. It concerns our sovereignty and independence, there can be nothing more valuable that that”.

The problem is that not only Belarus has hard times now. Last December Newsweek magazine forecast Hugo Chavez’ overthrow in 2010. And judging by the flow of events in Venezuela, this scenario looks entirely realistic.

In early January Chavez announced devaluation of the national currency. Simultaneously the country started to face problems with electricity. This causes growth of discontent among the population.

However Chavez and Lukashenka continue to create Napoleonic plans. On Monday they agreed that Venezuela would supply to Belarus 80,000 barrels of crude oil daily. After processing at our oil refineries it is planned to sell oil products in Europe.

The problem is, such a variant had already been studies a few years ago, and the Belarusian side had to give up on it then: expenses for transporting Venezuelan oil made it “golden”. The situation is unlikely to have changed since then. So this oil deal really looks like a risky undertaking…