Panama: President aims for closer ties with Venezuela in recent visit.

Caracas - Prensa Latina
03/03/2009

Panama President Martin Torrijos arrives in Venezuela Tuesday to carry out a working agenda with his peer Hugo Chavez, who will welcome him at the Miraflores Palace.

The Venezuelan statesman attended in Panama at that time the celebration of the 180th anniversary of the Amphictyonic Congress, a first step for Latin American integration, sponsored by Simon Bolivar in that country on June 22, 1826.

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Related notes:

Panama requests to be a member of Chavez's Petrocaribe.

Costa Rica and Guatemala also signed recently with Petrocaribe.

Obama: Chavez an obstable for progress in the region. An obstacle to FTAA (US Hegemony) progress?

Colombian Minister Santos statements represent a threat to sovereignty of the region

Caracas - ABN
03/03/2009

The recent statements made by the Minister of Defense of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos represent a threat to the stability and sovereignty of the countries of the region, it reads a communiquee emitted on Tuesday by the Venezuelan Ministry of People's Power for Foreign Affairs.

"The government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is deeply concerned about and rejects the irresponsible statements issued by Colombia’s Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos since they represent a threat to the stability and sovereignty of the countries of the region"...full statement here

Chavez Demands Extradition of Terrorist Posada Carriles from US

HAVANA - ACN

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez reiterated on Friday his country’s extradition request to the United States on terrorist Luis Posada Carriles, who escaped a Venezuelan jail, after the bombing of the Cubana flight 455 in Barbados 1976.

Chavez also requested the extradition of former Venezuelan President Carlos Andrés Perez who is blamed for the bloodshed during the Caracazo uprising, reported Prensa Latina.

President Hugo Chavez said that US President Barack Obama should hand over Posada Carriles, a fugitive from Venezuelan justice, and accused of masterminding the midair explosion of a Cuban passenger airplane in 1976 that killed all 73 persons aboard.

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ALBA Oil Fleet Purchases First Tanker

CARACAS - Periodico 26

TRANSALBA Transport Co. received its first tanker ship, the Petion, named after Haitian national hero Alexandre Petion, announced Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) on Monday.

The company said the Panamex type vessel has a 72,700 ton deadweight, and will be destined to transport crude oil from the refinery in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela and the Camilo Cienfuegos Refinery in Cuba, reported Prensa Latina.

A second tanker, with the name Sandino, is expected to be delivered in March. By having its own fleet the TRANSALBA transportation costs will drop.

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Nicaragua to Open ALBA Oil Refinery

Managua - PL

The Nicaraguan authorities will open on February 26 the first phase of "The Supreme Dream of Bolivar" oil refinery, announced media on Tuesday.

Multinoticias Canal 4 TV station aired statements by Francisco Lopez, director of state-owned PETRONIC, announcing the conclusion of the first stage of the oil refining complex, which is being built with the help of Venezuela, as part of the Bolivarian Alternative for the People of the Americas (ALBA).

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Cuban Justice Minister Denounced U.S Blockade at the UN

HAVANA - ACN
03/03/2009

Cuba's Justice Minister, María Esther Reus, denounced the economic, financial and commercial blockade of the U.S against Cuba at the 10th session of the UN’s Human Rights Council.

Reus said she hopes someday she will be able to announce in Geneva that the blockade has been lifted and that the five Cuban anti-terrorists held in American jails have been released, reported Prensa Latina news agency.

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