Venezuelan oil might be behind Cuba’s pivot to the U.S.

After 53 years of acrimony, a motivating factor in Cuba striking a historic deal with the United States to renew diplomatic relations might have been Venezuelan oil. Both sides, of course, were eager to see their prisoners released — USAID contractor Alan Gross and a CIA agent in the U.S. case and the three Cuban spies that Cuba wanted freed. But analysts say there were also other factors that pushed the two countries toward their surprise agreement. Venezuela currently ships 100,000 barrels of subsidized oil to Cuba daily and it has been a lifeline for Cuba. In exchange, Venezuela receives thousands of doctors, teachers and some military advisers. More…