Chavez visits Nicaragua

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has paid a visit to Managua,<?xml:namespace prefix = u2 />Nicaragua. He is there to celebrate the 28th anniversary of the 1979 Sandinista revolution. At the celebrations were Both Presidents of Panama and <?xml:namespace prefix = u4 /><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Honduras, Martín Torrijos and Manuel Zelaya.

During a public speech, Chavez invited Central America countries to join the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA) and promote Direct Democracy. He also explained Venezuelan ideas behind XXI socialism project. On July 20, 2007, Presidents of Venezuela and Nicaragua, Hugo Chavez and Daniel Ortega, placed the founding stone of an oil refinery. By refining Venezuelan oil, Nicaragua would earn 700 million dollars per year. Bilateral cooperation is now worth 430 million dollars. Venezuela will also help Nicaragua build 200 schools.  Nevertheless, President Chavez accused Nicaraguan opposition of trying to diminish the bilateral relation with Venezuela. He called them parrots that repeat Washington´s words.

One issue where both countries disagree is Taiwan though. While Nicaragua agrees to keep diplomatic and commercial relations both Chinas, Caracas is trying to diminish its economic ties with Taipei. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

Sources: ABN Telesur Bilaterals.org El Nuevo Diario La Prensa BBC

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