Cubans fear crisis due to Chávez's health condition

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez's deteriorated health causes concerns to his main political ally and trade partner, Cuba, as many Cubans fear that the ghost of the hard 1990s -the collapse of the Cuban economy upon the end of the Soviet Union's aid- may reemerge.

"Today Venezuela resembles what the Soviet Union was for many years until 1990. The only difference is that if (Venezuelan) aid is cut off, the consequences will be devastating because Cuban infrastructure is currently in worse conditions," Cuban opposition economist Oscar Espinosa Chepe told AFP.

"At the international market price, how could Cuba pay for the 100,000 oil barrels per day" it imports from Venezuela, Espinosa Chepe wondered. 

For his part, Dominican Republic President Danilo Medina expressed his support to his Venezuelan counterpart and prayed for Chávez's health.