Somehow I just don't think that this is going to happen. I mean, it's nice that Managua recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia, but Russia just doesn't have the money right now. No, if you're going to reward your faraway friend (although I'm at a loss as to why Moscow would want to) this seems like the way to do it.
And much as Nicaragua is a full-up member of the Alternativa Bolivariana, Venezuela doesn't have the money to toss away on such a megaproject right now. Astoundingly enough, Caracas is going to have to cut back spending if oil goes below $90, a level of fiscal irresponsibility to rival Washington.
Still, for a guy who proposes transcontinental railways and really likes to build stuff, I'm surprised that a Nicaraguan canal hasn't caught his eye.
Wasn't the reason for "why Moscow would want to reward Nicaragua" stated right there in the article?
"Russian experts would visit Nicaragua next month to identify other potential joint projects, including petroleum exploration in the Caribbean."
As usual, they're scrounging for oil. It's just one more case of foreign policy driven by logistic considerations...
... with the added propaganda bonus of demonstrating that Russia is still capable of showing the flag in the western hemisphere if it wants to, of course.
The bit about the canal, now, that was hilarious. I thought that the age of mega-projects was over?
Perhaps next we will see Chávez and Ortega enlisting for the rejuvenated Russian space program. After all, even _Cuba_ has been in space already (the famous "Cosmic Cigar") so why not Venezuela and Nicaragua?
Cheers,
J. J.
Posted by: Jussi Jalonen | October 01, 2008 at 07:40 AM
Wasn't a Nicaraguan canal one of the 19th Century alternatives to the Panama route?
Posted by: Peter | October 02, 2008 at 03:42 PM
I can only imagine the ecological damage that a canal would cause Lake Nicaragua. And wouldn't Costa Rica have something to say about it?
Posted by: Randy McDonald | October 02, 2008 at 05:05 PM