Interview with Joaquin Flores by Morris108
Cuba has inspired the Bolivarian revolution and is still supporting with military advisers, health care and more. Cuba also receives generous aid from Venezuela more than it did from the Soviet Union.
Discipline Cogitation Analysis
syncreticstudies.com 
Really? More than it did from the Soviet Union? Hove you ever been to Cuba? There is still a bunch, almost quarter of all the cars on the streets are Russian cars, that were given them for almost free by the USSR, or traded for something such as sugar. Sugar that Cuba made out of sugar cane was purchased by USSR well above the international price, and the USSR did not even need it since they had plenty of their own sugar. Newest apartment buildings were constructed by the USSR’s help. Countless number of food was also provided to them for free or almost free. I’ve been in Cuba in 1994 and even though the USSR already did not exist it still had some close relations with Cuba. The Russian military base was open, there were several Russian book stores as well as other stores. Many people say life in Cuba in the last 40 years was the best during the cooperation with USSR. Back then everything I saw in stores had a tag saying “made in USSR”. There is still a bunch of Soviet airplanes in service in Cubana Aviacion… I have not heard anyone say it is better now that Venezuela is helping them.
I mean today’s help from Venezuela is essential for Cuba, if it was not for Venezuela it is hard to imagine how Cuba could exist and keep up the kind of hermit lifestyle it has with the embargo from the US. I am not discrediting Venezuela’s help – even the fiber optics cable with Internet connected Cuba from Venezuela and all the free gasoline they receive on daily basis, but let’s not forget all the help it received from USSR.
Thank you for your feedback, and yes one should not overlook or downplay Soviet aid.
I don’t believe that was done in this piece.
Likewise, one should neither downplay Venezuelan aid or use impressionistic or anecdotal ‘street polling’ to determine its significance. While irrelevant to the facts and to coherent discussion, indeed I have been to Cuba to attend the state funeral in 2009 of a close family friend who was a Central-American trade union militant and Marxist leader in Los Angeles through most of the 80’s and 90’s. But I fail to see how its relevant.
While the Soviet aid was significant, Cuba was all alone after the collapse of the USSR’s COMECON and then GOSPLAN on 1 April 1991.
This article explains that the value of Venezuelan aid and trade has surpassed that of Soviet. It is now about $10 billion in nominal terms.
http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=345051&CategoryId=10717
According to Hugh Thomas : “Cuba : The Pursuit of Freedom” p.731 ; Even in the 1980s the Soviet aid wasn’t very important, but rather a regular trade with Cuba of more than $8.5 billion in 1989 was reached. But already in 1990 the trade was reduced to $4.5 billion
For a long time, a decade, Cuba was alone and this is discussed in virtually all the literature on the subject as being ‘Cuba’s special period’. Things were particularly difficult.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Period
At any rate, I hope you might see the video discussion in light of the facts that I have used to inform my opinion or position on the matter. Thank you again.