A steady drop-off in Venezuelan oil production may give Mexico an opportunity to increase its stature in the Caribbean. The Mexican government is considering a plan to replace subsidized Venezuelan oil and fuel shipments to Central American and Caribbean nations should the economically struggling country be unable to continue meeting regional demand, according to an Aug. 23 report. It is not yet clear under what payment mechanism that such shipments, which currently are provided at a discount through Venezuela's Petrocaribe program , would be sold if Mexico decides to implement the idea. Beginning in 2005, Venezuela exported crude oil, gasoline and diesel to Cuba and 13 other Petrocaribe beneficiaries under a pricing mechanism in which the up-front cost to buyers decreased as global crude oil prices rose. Under that program, recipients would repay the rest of the value of oil shipments, with interest, to Venezuela over a period of years.