August 4

Venezuela ready to buy more Argentinean bonds
Venezuela is willing to continue buying debt bonds from Argentina, President Hugo Chávez said last August 4, upon his arrival in Buenos Aires.

"From time to time, the Argentine government asks us to buy some of its bonds that have a good yield and are backed by the prestige of Argentina. As far as we can, we will buy them," he said.

"We are ready to continue purchasing bonds. We are both interested," said Chávez before a meeting with the presidents of Argentina, Cristina Fernández, and Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who is also visiting Buenos Aires.

Earlier, Argentinean Finance Secretary Hernán Lorenzino said that there were no negotiations related to a sale of Argentinean bonds to Venezuela. However, he did not rule out such possibility, Reuters reported.

In recent years, Venezuela has bought Argentinean bonds exceeding USD 5 billion.

Fernández, Lula, Chávez interested in airline, regional train
The presidents of Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela decided to expand their strategic alliance to the transport sector and took the first steps toward the development of a joint airline and a train that connects the three countries, "something that today seems to be a utopia," reported the Argentinean Ambassador.

"There is as new issue in the agenda that I think is most important, the issue of transport (…) the idea of forging an alliance with the Venezuelan state airline and Brazil's flagship airline, so that we can have our Southern Airline," Alicia Castro, Argentinean ambassador to Venezuela, told reporters after a meeting among presidents Cristina Fernández, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Hugo Chávez.

"We are also working on a dream that today seems to be a utopia, but one day would be a reality, the Southern Express, a train that connects Caracas with Buenos Aires'," she added.

Meanwhile, Argentinean Foreign Affairs Minister, Jorge Taiana, told reporters that the presidents would meet again on September 6 in Pernambuco, Brazil, in order to deal with "energy and fertilizers projects."

Chávez ratifies energy cooperation with Argentina and Bolivia
President Hugo Chávez advocated energy cooperation agreements between Venezuela, Argentina and Bolivia.  "Our countries are working together," said the Venezuelan ruler upon entering the building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Buenos Aires. Chávez met there with Argentinean Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana. 

"We will continue resolving the energy equation in Latin America, just like Argentinean President (Cristina Fernández de Kirchner) calls it. It is very important to ensure energy supply," said the Venezuelan leader, who stressed "that major sources of energy are in Venezuela and Bolivia."  

Chávez met with Taiana in San Martín Palace, the headquarters of Argentina's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before a meeting with a delegation of some 200 Argentine businessmen, DPA reported. 

The goal of Chávez's visit to Argentina is to strengthen bilateral agreements aimed at improving energy and food supply in both countries. 

Venezuela signs industrial, agriculture agreements with Argentina
Argentina and Venezuela signed several cooperation agreements concerning 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.

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.

The Venezuelan Ministry of Light Industry and Trade also signed training and cooperation agreements with the Argentina's National Institute for Industrial Technology (INTI).

Further, the Venezuelan Ministry of Agriculture signed an agreement with the Argentinean Institute for Agriculture Technology (INTA).

August 5

Chávez cancels trip; accuses the US of "destabilizing actions" in Bolivia
The presidents of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, and Argentina, Cristina Kirchner, cancelled their travel to the Bolivian city of Tarija, where they were slated to meet with their Bolivian counterpart Evo Morales, the Venezuelan leader announced in Buenos Aires. Chávez accused the United States for alleged destabilizing actions in Bolivia before a referendum next August 9, AFP reported.
 
"We have decided to cancel the visit to Tarija because there were some attacks against journalists and against the delegations from Argentina and Venezuela. These actions represent a resurrection of fascism," said Chávez who claimed that he had taken the decision after a phone conversation with Bolivian President Evo Morales.  

Chávez accused the US for the alleged destabilizing actions in Bolivia. "We accused directly the US empire, as it is doing everything to prevent our union," the Venezuelan Head of State said. Chávez attributed the alleged action to "the imperial despair of Mister Danger," which is the way Chávez usually calls US President George W. Bush.

Demonstrations in Tarija against Morales, Chávez and Kirchner
A group of civic organizations demonstrated outside the airport of the Bolivian city of Tarija, southern Bolivia, against the arrival of President Evo Morales, who was supposed to meet there with his Venezuelan and Argentinean counterparts Hugo Chávez and Cristina Kirchner, respectively, an AFP journalist reported.

Some 200 demonstrators were located at the gates of the airport Oriel Lea Plaza, burning tires and attempting to enter forcibly to the airport facilities. However, several platoons of policemen and soldiers had prevented their goal.

Reynaldo Bayard, a civic leader of Tarija, the richest gas region in Bolivia, told AFP that they reject the presence of the two other presidents "who have been campaigning in favor of Morales" some days before the recall referendum where the Bolivian president, his Vice-President and eight governors have put their positions at the disposal of electors.

Chávez back to Venezuela after visiting Argentina and aborting flight to Bolivia
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez headed back for Venezuela after a one-day visit to Argentina and the cancellation of his trip scheduled for Bolivia.

Diplomatic sources told Efe that Chávez and his delegation boarded on August 5 evening the presidential plane to return to Caracas, following a press conference that lingered about one and a half hour and where he wrapped up his visit to Buenos Aires.