“God let us off from a unipolar world. Latin America and the Caribbean should be a pole of strength for the next century. This is part of our project.”
The quote belongs to a speech pronounced by the president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez Frías, on October 30^th 1999, when addressing to the country the results of his journey through Asia and Europe.
That day he repeated what he had expressed many times during his electoral campaign, which took him to his first national presidency: his international policy would oriented to diversify the Venezuelan foreign relations and to boost the South American union.
The oil issue did not escape from this new view of the geo-strategic relations conceived by the Venezuelan president. The achievements obtained were quickly known around the world and even today, after nine years in Government, they can still be heard.
In accordance to the economist and university teacher Luis Alberto Matos, Chávez achieved the “political miracle” of uniting the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and stopping a strategy which sought to weaken the crude prices, boosted by the previous administrations.”
“Until Chávez arrived to the Presidency, Venezuela was more linked to the great oil buyers -as the United States, France and England-, than to its own partners, who allowed to keep a high price, it is to say Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, the Persian Gulf countries, Indonesia and the African nations,” he remarked.
Matos explained that during the denominated Fourth Republic, the OPEC government members even got to infringe their own quotas.
“They thought that selling oil barrels at a lower price than the one set by other countries would be more profitable because they would sell more. To act under such irrational logic, which should not be done with nonrenewable resources, caused that it was almost more profitable to transport the product than to produce it,” he added.
With the holding of the II OPEC Summit of Sovereigns and Heads of State and Government, held in Caracas on September 27^th 2000, Chávez made to stop the drop in oil prices. From seven dollars per barrel, the oil value rose to 28 dollars progressively.
The President described the event as historical, because for that moment there had passed 25 years since the first meeting, so he remarked that the main objective was to “achieve the balance and to reach fair prices in defense of our interests.”
Southern Union
Another of the objectives achieved under Chávez's leadership is the conformation of political, economic, social and cultural mechanisms of integration, conceived upon the basis of solidarity, complementariness and cooperation among the nations.
Among these can be mentioned the Bolivarian Alternative for the peoples of our America (ALBA), conceived by the presidents of Cuba, Fidel Castro Ruz, and of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, set against the neoliberal Free Trade Agreement for the Americas (FTAA), promoted by the United States' government.
Originally formed by Cuba and Venezuela, later on the republics of Bolivia, Nicaragua and more recently Dominica also added up to it.
In accordance with documents of the Ministry of State for the Integration and Foreign Trade, the ALBA is based upon “the creation of mechanisms to promote cooperative advantages among the nations, which allow to make up for the existing differences among the countries of the hemisphere.”
It also intends to attack the obstacles which try to avoid the real integration, as poverty, social exclusion, unequal exchange and unequal conditions of international relations.
The Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) is another of the South American cooperation gears boosted from Venezuela. The name was decided on April 16^th 2007, during the I Energetic Summit, in which 12 representatives of South American countries endorsed the foundational document.
These countries were from Argentine, Nestor Kirchner; from Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva; from Bolivia, Evo Morales; from Paraguay, Nicanor Duarte; from Ecuador, Rafael Correa; from Chile, Michelle Bachelet; from Colombia, Álvaro Uribe; Uruguayan vice president, Rodolfo Nin Novoa; and the first ministers of Guyana, Sam Hinds and the appointed first minister from Suriname, Gregory Rusland.
That day, these countries committed to work together for the region's development and the mechanism will count with a permanent executive secretary, which main office will be in Quito, Ecuador.
Economic alliances
Petrosur, Petrocaribe, the Bank of the South and the ALBA Bank are some of the 'grannational' organizations which have been promoted by the president of the Venezuelan Republic during his nine years of administration.
The first two mentioned above are political and commercial organizations boosted by Venezuela in order to “establish cooperation and integration mechanisms upon the basis of complementariness, giving a fair and democratic use to the energetic resources for the social and economic improvement of their people,” affirms a document released by the state-owned company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA).
Such mechanisms try to “reduce the negative effects caused upon the countries of the region due to the energy costs, derived from speculative and geopolitical factors, through the decrease on transactions costs (eliminating mediation), the access to preferential financing and the use of trade synergies in order to solve economic and social asymmetry in the region.”
Petrosur is formed by Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Venezuela, while Petrocaribe was initially endorsed by 16 countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, San Cristobal and Nieves, Saint Lucía, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Venezuela.
Meanwhile, the Bank of the South was endorsed by six Latin American presidents, who signed the foundational document in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The financial entity was suggested by the leader of the Bolivarian revolution in different international institutions as an alternative against the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in matters of regional financing to boost development, integration and to build a new international financial structure.
The signing presidents were Néstor Kirchner (Argentina), Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Brazil), Nicanor Duarte (Paraguay), Rafael Correa (Ecuador), Evo Morales (Bolivia) and Hugo Chávez (Venezuela).
The ALBA Bank was open last January 26^th , on the framework of the VI Presidential Summit of the Bolivarian Alternative for the people of our America (ALBA), held in Caracas.
As the coordinator minister of Ecuador, Ricardo Patiño, affirmed during his participation at the Summit, the constitution of these mechanisms will “allow to free the Latin American countries from the financial oppression that the United States has executed upon the region.”
On the other hand, Chávez said that “this will be of advantage to the building of grannational companies which will have a very positive impact on our project on the area.”
These mechanisms of integration add up to several binational agreements endorsed with countries like Russia, Libya, Iran, Qatar, Colombia, Cuba, Syria, Malaysia, Ecuador, Chile, Guyana, Nicaragua. Trinidad and Tobago and Belarus, among many others.
Communication, culture and sports
Chávez achieved, during the administration of his Bolivarian Government, to set the creation of a television station which “faced to the single speech sustained by the big companies which intentionally deny, restrict or ignore the right of information”, would become an “essential alternative capable to represent the main principles of a real mean of communication: veracity, justice, respect and solidarity,” expresses its foundational concept.
Likewise, and after 15 years of absence, Venezuela was incorporated into the Executive Council of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
This organization, as well as the UNICEF and the UN Food and Agriculture Administration, also recognized the missions started by the Venezuelan Administration in order to attend the more urgent necessities of the population, mainly due to the achievements in matter of overcoming illiteracy, exclusion and poverty.
Great event have also been organized in the country, as the World Social Forum, the International Afro-American Traditions Festival, the World Encounter of Intellectuals and Artists in Defense of Humanity, the World Festival of Youth and Students, among others.
On sports matters can be mentioned the increasing participation of Venezuela on high competence events, as well as the holding of the regional football encounter known as the Copa America, which tool place in great stadiums built at a record time for the appointment, which remained for the use of all Venezuelans.
Thursday, 7 February 2008
Wednesday, 6 February 2008
Forecasts: a growth over 6% for Venezuela in 2008
As a result of the economic measures carried out by the Bolivarian Government, the economic growth expected in Venezuela in 2008 could be over six per cent, according to the Minister of the People's Power for Finance, Francisco Isea.
In an interview offered to the program En Confianza, broadcast by the state-run television channel Venezolana de Televisión (VTV), Minister Isea stated that country's economy in 2008 could be over 6 per cent, “due to the correct economic policies and strategies carried out in order to achieve a full country's economic stability”.
Isea mentioned that the goal is to obtain at least a six per cent of economic growth, however, this number could be beat, because the economic policies carried out regarding the national production and the oil incomes augur a better performance of the national finances.
Nevertheless, Minister Isea warned that in order to concrete these numbers, the elements that cause inflation have to be nipped in the bud.
“We have carried out, from government, some measures to attack the elements we think are affecting the inflation rates that we had in January”, Isea said.
“The inflation issue is a major significance matter for the national government. Inflation, as we all know, is mainly the reflect of the products' price increase, most of all those basic needs items for Venezuelan population”, he added.
Moreover, Isea stressed that the inflation rates are in great part a responsibility of big businessmen that refuse to collaborate with national production and they aim their negotiations in capitalistic measures that only benefit them.
Likewise, Isea assured that the national government is working on the inflation goal proposed of about 11% and he emphasized that the inflation issue will be solved.
“We are going to work on the inflation matter and we are sure that we are going to see very positive results for the country”, he pointed out.
Isea added that it is important to keep the cooperation with the Venezuelan Central Bank and the rest of the governmental organs responsible of the country's economy, in order to achieve a better economic performance of the nation.
“We have a strong economy, an economy that has grown not in an artificial way, but in a real one”, he said.
The Minister of Finance guaranteed that Venezuela “is one of the few worldwide cases with this behavior and this year will not be an exception”.
In an interview offered to the program En Confianza, broadcast by the state-run television channel Venezolana de Televisión (VTV), Minister Isea stated that country's economy in 2008 could be over 6 per cent, “due to the correct economic policies and strategies carried out in order to achieve a full country's economic stability”.
Isea mentioned that the goal is to obtain at least a six per cent of economic growth, however, this number could be beat, because the economic policies carried out regarding the national production and the oil incomes augur a better performance of the national finances.
Nevertheless, Minister Isea warned that in order to concrete these numbers, the elements that cause inflation have to be nipped in the bud.
“We have carried out, from government, some measures to attack the elements we think are affecting the inflation rates that we had in January”, Isea said.
“The inflation issue is a major significance matter for the national government. Inflation, as we all know, is mainly the reflect of the products' price increase, most of all those basic needs items for Venezuelan population”, he added.
Moreover, Isea stressed that the inflation rates are in great part a responsibility of big businessmen that refuse to collaborate with national production and they aim their negotiations in capitalistic measures that only benefit them.
Likewise, Isea assured that the national government is working on the inflation goal proposed of about 11% and he emphasized that the inflation issue will be solved.
“We are going to work on the inflation matter and we are sure that we are going to see very positive results for the country”, he pointed out.
Isea added that it is important to keep the cooperation with the Venezuelan Central Bank and the rest of the governmental organs responsible of the country's economy, in order to achieve a better economic performance of the nation.
“We have a strong economy, an economy that has grown not in an artificial way, but in a real one”, he said.
The Minister of Finance guaranteed that Venezuela “is one of the few worldwide cases with this behavior and this year will not be an exception”.
Tuesday, 5 February 2008
President Uribe deepens fratricide war in Colombian and it works under the US interests
“President Alvaro Uribe Velez want to deepens the fratricide war in our country (Colombia) and it works as springboard to the US imperial interests to destabilize revolutionary governments on the region,” expressed to Prensa Latina Laura Herrera Valera, member of the Women's International Democratic Federation (WIDF).
“As defenders of the human rights, we are concerned about that in Colombia are getting strengthened the positions against the humanitarian agreement and war, situation easy to observe with the calling for a march on February 4^th in which are involved the Uribe's authorities and political representatives, despite they want to make believe the contrary,” expressed Herrera, also president of the Women's Association for the Colombian peace.
She added up that “Fortunately, many social and political sectors, including the hostages' relatives, have set apart from that action.”
The women's movements and organizations of the world currently progress on a deep campaign to sensitize, to denounce and to urge the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to agree the swap of prisoners towards the release of many men and women.
In different countries, the WIDF subsidiary organizations will develop all kind of initiatives in solidarity with the Colombian women, especially to the relatives of the people in hands of the FARC and of the people imprisoned in jails.
Laura Herrera highlighted actions like the one of the Nicaraguan president's wife, who has joined to the campaign; she also highlights the important role of the WIDF representatives at the United Nations Advisory.
The WIDF agreed during the last Congress, recently held in Caracas, to carry out of this campaign, “in which we expect to turn the phase of March 8^th , Women's International Day, into a new battle for the humanitarian agreement and the peace in Colombia.”
“As defenders of the human rights, we are concerned about that in Colombia are getting strengthened the positions against the humanitarian agreement and war, situation easy to observe with the calling for a march on February 4^th in which are involved the Uribe's authorities and political representatives, despite they want to make believe the contrary,” expressed Herrera, also president of the Women's Association for the Colombian peace.
She added up that “Fortunately, many social and political sectors, including the hostages' relatives, have set apart from that action.”
The women's movements and organizations of the world currently progress on a deep campaign to sensitize, to denounce and to urge the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to agree the swap of prisoners towards the release of many men and women.
In different countries, the WIDF subsidiary organizations will develop all kind of initiatives in solidarity with the Colombian women, especially to the relatives of the people in hands of the FARC and of the people imprisoned in jails.
Laura Herrera highlighted actions like the one of the Nicaraguan president's wife, who has joined to the campaign; she also highlights the important role of the WIDF representatives at the United Nations Advisory.
The WIDF agreed during the last Congress, recently held in Caracas, to carry out of this campaign, “in which we expect to turn the phase of March 8^th , Women's International Day, into a new battle for the humanitarian agreement and the peace in Colombia.”
Venezuelan and Colombian media try to create distorted image of the country
The Minister of People's Power for Interior Relations and Justice, Ramon Rodriguez Chacín, denounced the attempt, on behalf of some Colombian media supported by Venezuelan's, of creating a terror as well as distorted image of the country abroad, due to the way they informed the armed robbery with hostages at the Banco Provincial entity of Altagracia de Orituco population in Guarico state.
“Colombian and Venezuelan media are becoming alliances to create images of terror; I think they suffered a great setback when we proved the quality of our police corp. In little places of the world, in history, a situation like this has been solved without deaths,” recalled Minister Chaacín during a press conference in order to give the details of the release of 52 hostages and the capture of the bank thieves.
He specified that the state of anguish and despair of the hostages' friends and relatives was exaggerated by some media “in which they show sensationalism and create terror and panic among our population.”
The minister also indicated that “the media of the Venezuelan oligarchy” joint to the “Colombian oligarchy” are working in parallel to create terror images of the country.
He expressed that the journal El Tiempo, from Colombia, is in tune with the Venezuelan journal El Nacional, and that television stations like RCN, CNN and Globovision “perform in parallel to create terror and a distorted image of Venezuela abroad.”
Rodriguez Chacín indicated that these media took advantage of the fact that captors and hostages initially could do to phone calls.
He detailed that captors and hostages made phone contact “with those foreign media which show a distorted image of our country abroad, supported by Venezuelan media which are always looking to show the most frightening and dreadful images to the population.”
Chacín indicated that the captors made the hostages talk to their relatives, told them their relatives would be killed and then they communicated to “these Colombian radios and issued all the threats.”
“Colombian and Venezuelan media are becoming alliances to create images of terror; I think they suffered a great setback when we proved the quality of our police corp. In little places of the world, in history, a situation like this has been solved without deaths,” recalled Minister Chaacín during a press conference in order to give the details of the release of 52 hostages and the capture of the bank thieves.
He specified that the state of anguish and despair of the hostages' friends and relatives was exaggerated by some media “in which they show sensationalism and create terror and panic among our population.”
The minister also indicated that “the media of the Venezuelan oligarchy” joint to the “Colombian oligarchy” are working in parallel to create terror images of the country.
He expressed that the journal El Tiempo, from Colombia, is in tune with the Venezuelan journal El Nacional, and that television stations like RCN, CNN and Globovision “perform in parallel to create terror and a distorted image of Venezuela abroad.”
Rodriguez Chacín indicated that these media took advantage of the fact that captors and hostages initially could do to phone calls.
He detailed that captors and hostages made phone contact “with those foreign media which show a distorted image of our country abroad, supported by Venezuelan media which are always looking to show the most frightening and dreadful images to the population.”
Chacín indicated that the captors made the hostages talk to their relatives, told them their relatives would be killed and then they communicated to “these Colombian radios and issued all the threats.”
Communiqué of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
The Bolivarian Government of Venezuela, its President and its people, welcome the good will action of the announcement issued by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), regarding the release of the Colombian hostages Gloria Polanco de Lozada, Luis Eladio Pérez and Orlando Beltrán Cuellar.
The Venezuelan government expresses its gratitude for being considered, one more time, as a reliable and respected mediator to go ahead with such important issue for our compatriots Gloria, Luis, Orlando and their closest
relatives and for the Colombian society as a whole.
Venezuela really appreciates the fact that the FARC keeps motivated to reach a humanitarian agreement, which represents a firm and decisive step towards peace in Colombia and in the entire region.
The revolutionary government of Venezuela expresses one more time its permanent and unrestrictive commitment with peace and it reiterates its willingness to contribute with the construction of the path towards harmony for our Colombian brother country.
Under the command of President Hugo Chávez, our government will advance, from now on, the necessary contacts and actions to reach, in a safe way, this new victory of freedom and peace hope.
The government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela urges the Colombian government to contribute with this praiseworthy purpose, and impede any action that the enemies of peace could try, risking the release operation, and at the same time, hostages' lives.
The government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela sends a warm and brotherhood regards to all the Colombian people and it reiterates that, beyond the fierce campaign spread by media and economic powers which get money by death, the Venezuelan people's hand is still available to go along
with you in any circumstance towards peace way and union.
The guide of ideals of our common father, Libertador Simón Bolívar, is the light that guides all our actions.
'Peace will be my harbor, my glory, my hope, my happiness and whatever is needed in the world.' Simón Bolívar June 10, 1820.
The Venezuelan government expresses its gratitude for being considered, one more time, as a reliable and respected mediator to go ahead with such important issue for our compatriots Gloria, Luis, Orlando and their closest
relatives and for the Colombian society as a whole.
Venezuela really appreciates the fact that the FARC keeps motivated to reach a humanitarian agreement, which represents a firm and decisive step towards peace in Colombia and in the entire region.
The revolutionary government of Venezuela expresses one more time its permanent and unrestrictive commitment with peace and it reiterates its willingness to contribute with the construction of the path towards harmony for our Colombian brother country.
Under the command of President Hugo Chávez, our government will advance, from now on, the necessary contacts and actions to reach, in a safe way, this new victory of freedom and peace hope.
The government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela urges the Colombian government to contribute with this praiseworthy purpose, and impede any action that the enemies of peace could try, risking the release operation, and at the same time, hostages' lives.
The government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela sends a warm and brotherhood regards to all the Colombian people and it reiterates that, beyond the fierce campaign spread by media and economic powers which get money by death, the Venezuelan people's hand is still available to go along
with you in any circumstance towards peace way and union.
The guide of ideals of our common father, Libertador Simón Bolívar, is the light that guides all our actions.
'Peace will be my harbor, my glory, my hope, my happiness and whatever is needed in the world.' Simón Bolívar June 10, 1820.
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