In the news today we read that the UN conference on Haiti reconstruction has received more pledges than what Haiti had requested for. The unfortunate country had asked for what is a rather modest 4 billion USD, though if well managed enough of a Marshall Plan for the country.
Now in Venezuela we are hearing that the ALBA countries pledged 2.14 billions, more than what the US or EU pledged!!!! How can a set of poor countries held together by Chavez political ambition through his check book can pledge more that the US led by an African American president? Let's be serious, Venezuela GDP sans oil would be like the one of Arkansas or something.... I mean what can Venezuela bring to Haiti reconstruction when Chavez cannot build enough subsidized housing for our own needs, amen on providing water and electricity to the country?
Of course nobody paid attention to the ALBA offer. Not only you will not find reference to it in the link above from the NYT, but the more indulgent London Guardian does not mention it either. Nobody is buying Chavez's bluff anymore. At least he is not publicly mocked, yet, at the UN.
Haiti should be happy anyway, the ALBA offer, if it has been tabulated, would fill comfortably within the "excess" offer, leaving the hard real cash to cover Haiti own request. Again, as I wrote before, in ten years Haiti might have more of a future than Venezuela, if Chavez remains in office....
PS: the ALBA is comprised of Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, Bolivia and Ecuador. You do the math on what together can these semi failed states can bring.