March 24

Chávez to visit Brazil this week
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez is to travel to Brazil on Wednesday in order to meet with his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and review several oil and farming agreements, the official news agency ABN reported, as quoted by AP.

Chávez will be in Brazil between March 26 and 28 to assess several cooperation agreements and strengthen relation with Brasilia.

Among the agreements to be evaluated by Chávez and Lula is an oil refinery in the Brazilian state of Pernambuco, a project being developed by Venezuelan state oil company Pdvsa and Brazilian Petrobras.

Likewise, a farming project will be assessed. This project is being carried out by the Venezuelan government and the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation.

March 26

Chávez: Venezuela feels a part of Mercosur
President Hugo Chávez Wednesday said Venezuela is to play a role in the construction of the 21st-century socialism, "to which we actually feel a part in body and soul," even though the legislatures in Brazil and Paraguay have not endorsed Caracas' membership in the regional bloc.

Upon his arrival in Brazil, where he is meeting with President Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva to initial a number of economic cooperation agreements, Chávez stated that regional integration would pave the way for South America to become "a pole of world power to achieve the balance of the universe, just like (Liberator Simón) Bolívar used to suggest."

Regarding Brazil's proposal to organize a South American Defense Council, the Venezuelan ruler replied "that was Bolívar's plan, namely a political, economic, and military alliance."

When asked about the Pernambuco oil refinery -one of the places he is scheduled to visit in Brazil-, Chávez said it was an example that "what we have proposed as Petrosur, the South American energy alliance, is becoming a fact."

March 27

No shareholders' agreement on bi-national refinery
Presidents of Venezuela and Brazil Hugo Chávez and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, respectively, met Wednesday in Recife, northeast Brazil, where they visited the site where the bi-national oil refinery Abreu e Lima -scheduled to start operations in 2010- is under construction.

However, Brazil state oil firm Petrobras' director of Supply Paulo Roberto Costa said it was not possible to meet the objective to initial a final shareholders' agreement with the Venezuelan state-run oil firm Pdvsa. The Venezuelan holding is to own a 40 percent stake in the USD 4.05 billion project.

According to Costa, following negotiations, the officials of the two state corporations accepted to enter into "a partnership agreement" only. The contract "outlines the steps" to be followed in order to initial a shareholders' agreement, likely to be executed in two months.

Chávez, Lula initial partnership agreement between Pdvsa and Petrobras
President Hugo Chávez Thursday announced form Brazil that a partnership agreement between Petróleos de Venezuela (Pdvsa) and Petrobras was signed.

"We signed a contract under which Pdvsa -with a 40 percent stake- became a partner of Petrobras to build the great bi-national oil refinery (Abreu e Lima). And we have made some progress in reviewing the conditions for Petrobras inclusion in the Orinoco oil belt," said Chávez.

Meanwhile, Brazilian President Luis Inácio Lula Da Silva said that rather than an agreement, the contract was a "message to the world," because "even though we are poor, we have pride and are aware of our sovereignty."

President Chávez denies Venezuela's interest in increased oil prices
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez Thursday said that his country is interested neither in pushing oil prices up nor in watching the US economy to weaken further

"I do not want to make any forecast. Hopefully, oil prices will stabilize," said the Venezuelan ruler in a press conference held in Recife, northeast Brazil, following his two-day encounter with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, reported Efe.
"The world economic situation is difficult. That is why we are not interested in pushing oil prices up," Chávez said referring to turmoils in world markets arising from fears of an economic crisis in the United States.

Chávez warns against "flames" still burning in the Andean region
In a press conference in Brazil, President Hugo Chávez Thursday commented on the Andean crisis that involved Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Nicaragua and warned against some "little flames" still burning in the region.

According to Chávez, powerful interests are still trying to destabilize the region, and reports are still emerging that documents and photographs were allegedly found in the personal computer of late Raúl Reyes, the international spokesperson for the rebel Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC).

"Yesterday I called (Colombian) President (Álvaro) Uribe and expressed my concern about this situation. It is said that Venezuela and Ecuador support the guerrilla groups. We must strive to put out that flame still burning for good," added Chávez.

Lula brands Chávez as "the great peacemaker"
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Thursday said his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chávez was the "great peacemaker" in the conflict that erupted following a Colombian military attack against a camp of the rebel Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) in Ecuadorian territory on March 1st.

"Who was the great peacemaker in the Colombia-Ecuador conflict? It was precisely President Chávez. Therefore, I would like to congratulate the former guerrilla man now turned into a pacifier," said Lula da Silva during a news conference he offered together with Chávez in Recife, Brazil, DPA reported.
 
"During several days, headlines all over the world made reference to the war between Colombia and Venezuela, and the great peacemaker in the conflict between Colombia and Ecuador was President Chávez himself," said Lula.