By Carlos Camacho
Latin American Herald Tribune

CARACAS -- The Cuban flag has been flying at least since Monday over the 41st Armored Brigade (41 Brigada Blindada) in the Fuerte Paramacay Army barracks, local newspaper “El Carabobeño” reported.

Cuba and Venezuela enjoy an excepcionally close bilateral relationship, with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez routinely referring to aging Cuban leader Fidel Castro as his “father” and “brother”, in a dynamic that seems to mirror that of Castro with deceased Chilean leader Salvador Allende. However, this is the first time a foreign flag, from any nation, is seen waving inside a Venezuelan military installation.

In contrast, early in his administration, Chavez made a point of asking the US military to vacate an office inside Fuerte Tiuna, the largest Army barracks in Venezuela and located not far from Paramacay. Military cooperation between Venezuela and the US (who used to hold joint exercises almost every year) has dropped to zero.

According to the Venezuelan government, there are at least 30,000 Cuban cooperation workers in Venezuela, in the health, sports, education, tourism and agricultural areas.

An “El Carabobeño” spokeswoman stood by the story when contacted by the Latin American Herald Tribune. The news of the Cuban flag flying over a Venezuelan Army barracks has seen been picked by several media outlets, she said.