Javier Corrales argued that the current Cuban-Venezuelan relationship has given Venezuela tremendous leverage over Cuba’s internal affairs. This influence stems from an oil-for-labor arrangement, in which Venezuela is providing Cuba with approximately 20,000 to 26,000 barrels per day (bpd) of free oil in exchange for more than 30,000 Cuban medical doctors working in Venezuela. Under the current arrangement and ever increasing market prices for oil, Cuba stands to make more than $6 billion over the next fifteen years. But as Corrales pointed out, the relationship is more than just an innocent quid pro quo. Cuba has more than forty years of military experience, equipment and training that Hugo Chavez needs in order to transform his military;
