He was accompanied by Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro and the ministers of energy, economic&planning and agriculture.

Chavez’s surprise visit came five days after he had won a national referendum to lift presidential term limits and allow him to run for re-election in 2012. This was his first overseas trip after this victory.

President Chavez has made frequent visits to Cuba where he has always met with leader Fidel Castro.  In 2008, he visited Cuba four times.

Venezuela, the largest oil exporter in Latin America, is a close political ally and the largest trade partner of Cuba. It supplies about 92,000 barrels of oil per day to Cuba at a preferential price.

Early this year, Cuba welcomed the presidents of Panama, Ecuador, Argentina, Chile and Guatemala.