Economy
The addition of Ecuador to the Bolivarian Alternative for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) will reinforce an integration scheme characterized by the political affinity of their governments, said experts on Tuesday, one day before the summit in Venezuela.

The ALBA will hold next Wednesday and Thursday its 6th Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government in Maracay, the capital city of central Aragua state, 80 km to the west of Caracas.

Thus far, President Rafael Correa of Ecuador; Evo Morales of Bolivia, and Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua have confirmed their participation, in addition to Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez.

From Cuba, the Vice-President of the Ministerial Council Ricardo Cabrisas and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodríguez, will attend the rendezvous.

Also, the Prime Ministers of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves; and Antigua & Barbuda, Winston Baldwin Spencer, will be present in the event.