U.S. tracking growing intelligence ties between Cuba, Venezuela
U.S. intelligence agencies have reported that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez recently used Fidel Castro’s Cuban Airline jet for his recent travel to the Middle East and Europe, highlighting the close ties between Chavez and Cuba’s communist government, according to a new report by Geostrategy-Direct.com.
Cuba's Raul Castro with Hugo Chavez of Venezuela.
Chavez said on Nov. 19, after arriving at Orly Airport in Paris, that he flew from Tehran to Paris in Cuban President Fidel Castro's jet, which he noted was not an Airbus and he praised the aircraft as being "fast" and "comfortable."
Chavez then said on Nov. 20 upon arriving at Portela International Airport in Lisbon, Portugal, that he was flying to Havana from Lisbon the next day.
“The Venezuelan president's use of a Cubana Airlines jet on this trip contrasts with past travels when he has been observed to fly in his presidential jet, an Airbus A319,” one official said.
Chavez also traveled to Saudi Arabia.
U.S. intelligence agencies have said Cuban-Venezuelan intelligence ties remain close and are growing, with large numbers of Cuban intelligence personnel working in Venezuela. In some cases, Venezuelan ambassadors sent abroad were actually Cuban intelligence operatives.
