MARÍA LILIBETH DA CORTE
EL UNIVERSAL

"Last year I initialed a resolution pardoning a debt Honduras owed to Venezuela. It is an old debt dating back to the 80's for some USD 30 million. We would be senseless if we tried to collect that debt. You do not owe anything now," said President Hugo Chávez during a brief official visit to Honduras on Tuesday.

The Venezuelan ruler was welcomed by his Honduran counterpart Manuel Zelaya, and both moved to speed up the process for Honduras to join Petrocaribe. "Honduran people, do not worry about oil, if you do not have oil here, you will find it in Venezuela," Chávez reassured, and estimated the Honduran oil bill at USD 730 million a year.

"Venezuela should not come here to play the role of a capitalist and say, 'If you do not pay, there is no oil.' On the contrary, let us reach an understanding," Chávez claimed. "You may pay for oil with agriculture produces, and goods and services. You will repay 60 percent of the oil bill. Repayment is not made immediately, but within 90 days and in cash. The remaining 40 percent becomes part of a financing mechanism, for repayment in 25 years, with a two-year grace period at a year-on-year rate of 1 percent," Chávez explained.

The Venezuelan ruler arrived early on Tuesday in Honduras from Guatemala, where he attended the inauguration of President Álvaro Colom.

Chávez in Managua

The Venezuelan president arrived late Tuesday in Nicaragua -for his fifth official visit to this country, and the fourth visit since Daniel Ortega took office in January 2007- to assess bilateral cooperation agreements and progress made under the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA).

Chávez, together with Ortega, attended a baseball game in Managua.

Ortega and Chávez Wednesday are scheduled to hold a number of meetings to assess the execution of joint projects, Efe reported.

Translated by Maryflor Suárez R.
msuarez@eluniversal.com