Cross sections through the ophiolitic units of the southern and northern margins of the Caribbean Plate in Venezuela (northern Cordilleras) and Central Cuba

This work represents the guidebook of the field trips held in Venezuela and Cuba, January 9-16, 1995, through the Jurassic-Cretaceous ophiolitic units which crop out along the deformed margins of the Caribbean Plate. Two cross sections were carried out through the southern and northern margins of the Plate, respectively. The first transect was through the northern Venezuelan Cordilleras, where the following tectonic units are recognized: Piemontine Units (PU), Dos Hermanas Unit (DH), Villa de Cura Units (VC), Loma de Hierro Unit (LH), Caucagua-El Tinaco Unit (TT) and Franja Costera Unit (FC). from South to North. Ophiolitic masses with pure MORB affinity are found in LH and FC, whereas suprasubduction affinity characterizes DH and VC. The second transect was through Central Cuba, crossing the following units: Bahamas Units (BU), Northern Ophiolitic "melange" Unit (NO). Cretaceous Arc Units (AC), Mabujina Unit (MU) and Escambray Terrains, from Northeast to Southwest. MORB affinity has been recognized in the ophiolitic bodies of NO, while island arc tholeiitic to calc-alkaline affinities characterized AC. A comparison between the ophiolitic units of the northern and southern Caribbean margins has been attempted and a discussion on the evolutive models proposed for the Caribbean Plate is reported.