Venezuela and South American allies advance integration
The presidents of Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Brazil met in Manaus, Brazil, to advance the economic and
political integration of the South American continent. They discussed plans for expanded infrastructure, the
formation of new banks among nations in the Global South, and the impact of the world financial crisis on their
countries. Venezuela and Brazil signed accords to boost soy production and improve low-income housing in
Venezuela.
"As neo-liberalism sinks, we should advance integration and unity," said Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in Manaus.
"Our only option is to pick up the pace in the direction we have been going."
The four presidents elaborated plans for the integration of the gas industries across the continent and referred to
the city of Manaus as the "epicentre" that will connect Caracas, Quito, and La Paz. According to Chavez, the previous
proposal to build the world's longest gas pipeline connecting Venezuela, Brazil, and Argentina has proven to be
difficult, so the leaders are discussing alternatives, such as highways and shipping by sea.
The presidents also agreed upon what they called a "formula" for a Bank of the South to fund development across the
continent and now plan to consult with the rest of the presidents on the continent to move forward on the project.
The president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, said the Bank of the South is a "long-term structural solution, to learn to
depend on our own strengths, to make our regional economy more and more independent [and] pool reserves to have a
regional backup in the case of a crisis."
Chavez reiterated his proposal for an International Petroleum Bank, which would be a joint initiative of state-owned
oil companies to help finance what Chavez has called an "energy alliances" among countries. Chavez had proposed a
broader version of the International Petroleum Bank previously at the second-ever summit of the Organization of
Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) that Venezuela hosted in the year 2000, but, accordingto Chavez, "there was no
consensus."
Over the past four years, Venezuela has initiated energy integration accords such as PetroCaribe and PetroSur, which
promote the building of new refineries, the expansion of storage facilities in oil-scarce countries, and the exchange
of oil for goods and services.
"We must start creating a new international financial architecture, not wait for the North to create another Bretton
Woods," said Chavez. "We are going to create our own structure in the South."
When asked about the price of oil, Chavez said it is unpredictable, especially with the financial crisis in the US,
but that it would be "sufficient" if the price were to stabilize between $ 80 and $ 90 per barrel.
Brazil-Venezuela accords
During the meeting, Chavez and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva signed the constitutive documents of a
mixed enterprise between the Venezuelan state oil company PdVSA and Brazil's Petrobras, and worked out the details
for the joint construction of the Abreu de Lima oil refinery in northern Brazil, a project inaugurated officially
last March.
The two leaders also launched the second stage of their industrial and agricultural cooperation accords, which were
initiated last year. They signed technology transfer agreements to help Venezuela boost its soy production and
promote family farms, established regulations for airline services and the airspace between their nations, and
discussed the construction of a joint steel factory in south-eastern Venezuela.
Brazil will also assist Venezuela in setting up a finance program low-income housing based on the model currently
operated in Brazil by the Caixa Economica do Brasil, which is the largest state-owned bank in Latin America.
On the sidelines, Lula spoke of the "obligation to be more in solidarity with the most fragile economies on the
continent" and said Brazil's "role is to contribute so that all Latin American countries grow together and we become
a more just continent."
According to theVenezuelan Ambassador to Brazil, Julio Garcia Montoya, commerce between Brazil and Venezuela is $ 5.5
bn so far this year.
Both Lula and Chavez expressed confidence that their countries' economies will not be harmed by the financial crisis
sparked by the sub-prime mortgage collapse in the United States.
"We were prudent, our financial system is not wrapped up in this problem, we did our homework, they didn't," said
Lula.
Chavez said Venezuela is ready to confront the financial crisis because of its sustained economic growth, the
solidity of its banks, and its large international reserves, which he said have reached $ 40 bn. The recent formation
of a bi-national bank with Russia and the $ 12 bn joint development fund with China also help secure the Venezuelan
economy, he said.
Bolivian President Evo Morales said the financial crisis indicates that it is necessary to create alternatives to
capitalism.
"Now the poor in the United States and in the world will have to pay the price of the financial crisis," said
Morales. "This should bring us to a profound reflection about changing economic models."