TEHRAN Cuban President Fidel Castro arrived in Caracas for an official visit to Venezuela on Saturday. This trip aims to improve friendly relations between the two countries.

Cuba and Venezuela did not have friendly relations until Hugo Chavez became president. Previous Venezuelan governments followed Washington's policies. But their relations developed after Chavez came to power because Chavez supports socialism and opposes U.S. hegemony, especially in Latin America.

In fact the common positions of Castro and Chavez on regional and international issues, specifically their opposition to U.S. interference in the domestic affairs of Latin American countries, are effective factors in the development of Cuba-Venezuela relations.

Political experts have evaluated Castro's current visit to Venezuela as successful in boosting ties between the two countries.

The Cuban government, which lost its great supporter after the collapse of the Soviet Union, has had many problems in the past decade in meeting its oil needs due to the U.S. embargo.

Although some of Cuba's oil needs have been met through improved relations with Russia in recent years, the oil products imported from Russia are not sufficient.

Under such conditions, Hugo Chavez's proposal last year to sell oil to Cuba at a low price was a very important opportunity for Cuba.

In general, Castro's recent trip to Venezuela indicates that the two nations intend to continue their campaign against U.S. domination of the region.