Venezuela’s Chavez Talks Gas Cooperation, Climate Change During Visit to Spain

Caracas, September 11, 2009 (venezuelanalysis.com) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez wound up an eleven-day international diplomatic tour with a stop-over in Spain on Friday where he met with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

Speaking to reporters on his arrival in Madrid, Chavez said the political, economic and social relationship between Spain and Venezuela is very important and must be strengthened "in conditions of equality."

On the agenda during the meeting between the two leaders was a discussion on coordinating international efforts to combat climate change and bilateral energy and investment issues. Specifically, Chavez announced a huge natural gas find off the Venezuelan coast in the gulf of Maracaibo, by the state-owned oil company PDVSA in a joint venture with Spain's Repsol and Italy's ENI. The recoverable reserves from the field could be around 1.5 to 2.0 trillion cubic feet the Venezuelan leader said.

With the discovery, Venezuela now possesses the fifth largest gas reserves in the world, and the largest in Latin America.

Earlier during his tour Chavez promoted the formation of a "Gas OPEC" with gas exporting countries, such as Russia and Iran among others.

New agreements between Spain and Venezuela were also signed in the areas of wind energy and housing.

The two leaders also discussed the recent coup that ousted the democratically elected president of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya.  Zapatero reiterated Spain's defense of democracy and condemnation of the coup, a statement released by the Prime Minister's office said.

Zapatero also offered to assist, if requested, in helping to ease tensions between Venezuela and neighbouring Colombia.

In addition, the EU-Latin America-Caribbean Summit, which will take place in Madrid in 2010, during Spain's presidency of the EU, was discussed. Competing with the US for economic and political influence in the region, the EU is expected promote a series of neoliberal "association agreements" with Latin American and Caribbean countries at the summit.

Negotiations over the association agreements at last year's EU-Latin America-Caribbean Summit in Lima, Peru, were largely stalled at the due to resistance from leftist leaders such as Chavez, and Bolivian President Evo Morales, among others.

Ten thousand social movement leaders from 15 different countries also held an alternative "Peoples Summit" in rejection of the EUs efforts to "implement the agenda of its transnationals and to deepen neoliberal policies." Trade-unions and social movement organisations from Spain and the rest of Europe are expected to raise similar protests at the forthcoming summit.

Chavez also met with King Juan Carlos during his visit, joking that the Spanish monarch's beard reminded him of Fidel Castro.

Chavez "revolutionises" Madrid

Spanish news website 20minutos.es reported that Chavez "revolutionised" the centre of Madrid when he paid a visit to the Gran Via bookstore, where he purchased, El Capitalismo Funeral by Spanish author, journalist and economist Vincente Verdu.

Both supporters, chanting ‘Viva Chavez, Viva Venezuela,' and opponents shouting ‘Chavez out' rallied outside the store, paralysing traffic for over an hour.

During his visit Chavez also met with student supporters of Venezuela's Bolivarian revolution.

Manuel de la Fuente, a student at the University of Salamanca, called the international tour by Chavez "very important, because there is a campaign by the international bourgeoisie, by big business and the media, who have a strong interest in defaming the revolutionary process in Venezuela.

De la Fuente said that "the majority of young workers in the Spanish State and in other European countries are in agreement with most of the things that President Chavez in Venezuela is carrying out."

Jefferson Cardenas, a member of the Bolivarian Solidarity Platform with Venezuela in Madrid, said, "Youth and migrant associations view the Bolivarian process as a hope for the people, not only for Latin America but for Europe."

Former Spanish Ambassador to Venezuela Raúl Morodo commented on Chavez's visit to Spain saying it was important because there is a process of change occurring across Latin America that is not often understood in Europe where there is "a conservative process."

"History has changed, now Fidel [Castro] is older, the great reference point in Latin America today is Hugo Chávez," Morodo said.

Published on Sep 13th 2009 at 11.56am