The government of PresidentHugo Chávez announced on Friday an agreement with Cuba to create a factory here to produce Coppelia ice cream, a brand famous in Cuba for its tropical flavors, including mango, pineapple and guava.
For years Venezuela has been propping up the weak Cuban economy by sending oil. In return, Cuba sends Venezuela other goods, services and manpower, including thousands of doctors. It has also sent military advisers, whose presence has at times caused friction and resentment within the Venezuelan military.
The announcement of the latest deal said that representatives of the two countries had discussed a timeline for construction of the factory “over the medium term,” but did not provide a cost estimate or say who would pay.
Over the years the Chávez government has announced numerous economic cooperation agreements with allies, many of which, like Friday’s, were short on details. Some were never carried out.
The press release from the Venezuelan government credited the idea for the ice cream plant to Mr. Chávez, whose relationship with Cuba runs much deeper than oil or ice cream.
Mr. Chávez has made it a matter of principle to support Cuba because like Venezuela, it is a socialist country.
He speaks often of his friendship with Fidel Castro, the former Cuban president, and of turning to Mr. Castro for advice.
Mr. Chávez has undergone three operations for cancer in Cuba since last summer.
The most recent took place last month, and Mr. Chávez returned to Venezuela only on March 16, after recuperating in Cuba for nearly three weeks.
It was not clear if he came up with the idea for the ice cream plant during his recent stay, but he has talked a fair amount about the food he ate during his recuperation.
On his return from Cuba, he told of sitting down to a lunch of fish and salad with Mr. Castro, in which they discussed their fish preferences. He said they ate dessert, but not what kind.
“Fidel was paying attention to what I eat and don’t eat and what I shouldn’t eat,” Mr. Chávez said.
The relationship with Cuba has been often attacked by Mr. Chávez’s political opponents, who resent the subsidized oil shipments and the presence of the military advisers.
Henrique Capriles Radonski, who is running against Mr. Chávez in a presidential election scheduled for October, criticized him for going to Cuba for his cancer surgery, saying it sent a message to Venezuelans that medical services in their own country were not adequate.