Bolivia to fund road projects with Venezuelan US$300 millions (Updated)

Morales, Lula and Chavez sign agreements to build roads of integration

Riberalta (Beni), July 18 (ABI).-  Presidents of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva; Venezuela, Hugo Chavez Frias and Bolivia, Evo Morales Ayma signed this Friday  agreements, which guarantees funds for building  the road  Riberalta - Rurrenabaque on one side, and Rurrenabaque - Santa Barbara on the other side, making the integration of the Andean region with the Amazon region possible.

Brazil will fund with $ 230 million the road Riberalta - Rurrenabaque and Venezuela will do the stretch Rurrenabaque (Beni) - Santa Barbara (La Paz), the last one will link the Departments of Beni and La Paz.

Both agreements were signed at the "Enrique Guiser" stadium of Riberalta (Beni - Bolivia). During the ceremony, President Morales stressed those agreements because they would allow achieving by building roads a true social and economic integration in Bolivia.
  
"In February of 2006, you, citizens of Riberalta asked me a road and today we celebrate the integration of the country from West (Andean region) to the Amazon region", Morales stated.  He explained that his counterpart, Lula Da Silva would fund with $ 230 million the stretch Riberalta - Rurrenabaque, and Chavez with a total of $ 300 would fund the road Rurrenabaque - Santa Barbara. Besides, Morales said that the loans to build the roads of integration no longer come from international agencies, like in the past, when they made their support conditional on measures such as the privatization, capitalization and natural resources delivering to foreign companies.  
    
To 172 meters above sea level and located on the Madre De Dios River and Beni River junction that flows in the Mamore River, Riberalta is a beautiful region, rich in natural resources and wildlife, it has hot and damp weather (29-32 Celsius).

Pta/Dgav                  ABI
Translation: Sonia Prado

Venezuela will give Bolivia a loan of $ 300 million for roads

Santa Cruz, July 17 (ABI).- The Government of Venezuela will give Bolivia $ 300 million of loan for road projects inside the country, announced the Bolivian President, Evo Morales. Morales, at the time, to deliver $ 1,8 million for the implementation of drinking water projects in Santa Cruz,  stated that focusing on more roads projects, he would sign an agreement with President Chavez in Riberalta (Beni - Bolivia).

Besides, also in Riberalta, Morales will sign with Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the Brazilian President, other agreement of $ 230 to fund a road construction project, which would have 508 kilometres and would link Rurrenabaque with Riberalta.

Morales said, "Lula will give us $ 230 million and Chavez $ 300 million to build roads, with that total more roads in the Departments of Chuquisaca, Oruro and Potosi will be built". Moreover, the President assured that seeking the country integration, his Administration has negotiated those credits, which was a long-term loan with low interest rates.

On the other side, he pointed out that any government or international organization that wanted to support Bolivia in order to strengthen  the National Program of Development (PND Spanish initials) without conditions, were welcome and rejected any kind of  conditioned aid, specially those which asked natural resources privatization.

Furthermore, Morales emphasized that after two years of his office, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, were joining to his job in order to overcome poverty levels.
    
"The first months of my Administration I met with executives of World Bank and International Monetary Fund, they did not want to support us". "But after six months, those executives asked me how they could support and a year later they said, we are going to aid the National Program of Development", explained Morales.

The President attributed that decision to Bolivia economic growth with a surplus of 2,2 in 2007, as a result of hydrocarbons nationalization.

Jcch/Dgav              ABI
Translation: Sonia Prado