CARACAS, Tuesday August 05, 2008 | Update
Chávez displays a t-shirt with the image of Argentina's national hero Libertador José de San Martín given to him as a gift during an agreement signing ceremony at the Foreign Ministry building in Buenos Aires (Photo: Enrique Marcarian / Reuters)
The Venezuelan government purchased some days ago USD 1 billion
in Argentinean bonds, disclosed on Tuesday President Hugo
Chávez.
"Venezuela bought one week ago, a few days ago, USD 1 billion
in Argentinean bonds," said Chávez during a press conference
in Buenos Aires, Reuters quoted.
"We trust in Argentineans a lot," he added.
Venezuela is one of the major Argentina's guarantors. Thus
far, Argentina has issued no bonds in the global market after
completing in 2005 refinancing of a huge debt.
Earlier on Tuesday, Argentina and Venezuela initialed several
cooperation agreements in the fields of agriculture and industry
in a ceremony held at the Argentinean Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, in Buenos Aires, with the presence of some 200 local
businessmen and headed by Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.
Chávez presided over the execution of the cooperation
agreements together with Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs
Nicolás Maduro.
"This meeting contributes to advance one step further in
the cooperation process between Argentina and Venezuela,"
said Argentinean Minister of Foreign Affairs Jorge Taiana,
who was also present at the ceremony.
Among the agreements, there is a contract for the sale of
Argentine agriculture machinery to Venezuela. The agreement
was signed by Argentina's Chamber of Manufacturers of Agriculture
Machinery, AFP reported.
05:09 PM. Economy. If any country has cashed in on the Bolivarian revolution, that is Brazil, particularly the private companies of the southern neighbor. Over the past five years, it has been awarded contracts for works to be carried out in Venezuela for over USD 14 billion. This puts it as the first recipient of government-to-government contracts, that is, without bidding, since Hugo Chávez took office.