<a href=ogj.pennnet.com>Oil & Gas Journal, By Curtis Williams OGJ Correspondent

PORT OF SPAIN, June 16 -- A jointly hosted Western Hemispheric Energy Summit, slated for Trinidad and Tobago this fall, will focus on natural gas, and participates will discuss supply-demand scenarios for the next decade, Energy Minister Eric Williams said.

The summit will hosted by the governments of Trinidad and Tobago and the US.

The US is keen to ensure that it can count on predictable supplies of gas in keeping with its strategic move away from over dependence on potentially unstable Middle East supplies, Williams said.

Trinidad and Tobago, already the largest LNG exporter to the US, is seen as an important future supplier to satisfy a rapidly growing US LNG market.

Members of the 15-member Caribbean regional economic union (Caricom) are going to be invited along with OLADE (Latin American Energy Organization.). Venezuela belongs to OLADE.

Venezuela has been trying to get into the LNG business and has been working closely with Trinidad and Tobago.

"We can be the catalyst that brings all these groups together to come up with a hemispheric position on short- and long-term energy issues," Williams said. Various issues being studied by the Caribbean Hydrocarbons Cooperation Commission also might be discussed.

Topics could include LNG regasification plants in the Caribbean basin and a cost-cap on petroleum products sold to Caricom countries by Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela.

"If we are going to look at long-term energy supplies into the US, which we all agree is our major market, and we are looking at the supply position from the perspective of the gas-producing countries, it makes sense for the suppliers and demanders to get together and talk," Williams said.

06/16/2003 - Source: <a href=www.latintrade.com>BNamericas-LatinTrade Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA will soon start to award oil field maintenance contracts to reverse declining production at its oil fields, industry sources told BNamericas. "One thing that has suffered a lot since they downsized significantly has been the quality of operational maintenance," one source said, asking not to be named. "That is very worrisome for PDVSA." "Maintenance levels are not at the same levels as before the strike," said a different source, Fernando Delgado, executive director of the Zulia state branch of Venezuela's national oil chamber. PDVSA is considering awarding contracts to joint ventures of Venezuelan and foreign companies, Delgado said, adding "this would be good for the country, and reactivate the sector with private capital." Awarding these contracts to private companies would not necessarily mean privatizing the operations of state oil fields, "but we could start with maintenance contracts on small fields and then move to larger fields," the first source said. "PDVSA is not going to give everything away, but just a part," the source said, adding, "It seems this idea has been received well by PDVSA management." Delgado said construction companies in the west of the country, where PDVSA is the main client, have been operating at 20% of capacity since the end of the oil strike in February. "Activity is considerably less than it was," he said. "PDVSA officials say it's because before the strike they were spending too much money on maintenance contracts, but it's impossible for me to check that," Delgado added. For now the lower levels of maintenance have not resulted in any serious accidents, such as oil spills or gas explosions, Delgado continued, adding that if maintenance does not improve such accidents will become more likely in the future. PDVSA faces an "emergency" in declining oil production, the source said, adding "The reality is that there are almost two worlds, because the expectation is that there has been recovery since the strike, but in the last week and a half we're starting to hear that production is rapidly declining." "There is a perception that production is heavily declining now. That reality is sinking in and they are having serious problems with maintenance which in turn impacts production," the source continued. Another reason for declining production could be that PDVSA overproduced some good prospects after the strike, "but that's always a bad industry practice because when you overproduce you will never reach optimum economic recovery," the source said. However, the oil chamber's Delgado said that there is a natural 20% annual decline in oil fields and poor maintenance now will affect future production, not current production. PDVSA chairman Ali Rodriguez said on Wednesday that the company is currently producing at its OPEC quota of about 2.9 million barrels of oil a day. "The official numbers are pretty good," Delgado said, adding that current production is within 100,000b/d of pre-strike levels. Because half the workforce was sacked during and after the two-month strike at the beginning of the year, PDVSA has appointed political allies or lower level employees loyal to President Hugo Chavez, the source said. "Some people believe the problems are here to stay because they have cut the company so thin in terms of employees and personnel that it will be hard to handle a company this size with a 45% cut in the payroll and believe that everything's going to fine and dandy," the source continued.

José Vicente Rangel believes that opposition groups have lost the chance to hold a revoking vote, and that all they have left is to "get ready for the next elections for governors, mayors, deputies and president in 2006"

He denied that the administration is afraid of a vote to terminate the mandate of President Hugo Chávez

ALFREDO ROJAS EL UNIVERSAL

Even though he has occupied three positions in the current administration of President Hugo Chávez, Venezuelan Vice President, José Vicente Rangel, prefers to talk about the groups opposed to the government. As if he was a mentor of dissidents, he even dares to give Chávez' foes some advices, "which I should not disclose, because if they take these suggestions into account this may be harmful for the government. But I do believe that it is fundamental to have a democratic opposition in a democratic government."

Question: Is the government more comfortable now with the country's internal situation?

Answer: I do believe that we all should be more comfortable, specially our foes. Our opponents are the ones who need democratic and institutional normalcy the most. They have to accept that they are not going to overthrow Chávez. During this conspiracy, opposition groups have won nothing but the strengthening of Chávez.

Q: Don't you believe that accusing Chávez' foes of plotting to conduct a coup d'etat is a little overrated?

A: As long as there are plans to conduct coups and people who do not believe in a recall referendum -as some leaders in the so-called Democratic Block have said, and as some retired military officers have admitted- this is a valid allegation. We talk about coup-mongers because we have detected coup-plotting activities. Let us think for a moment what would have happened if the opposition sectors were democratically wiser and used the vast resources they have at hand, such as our Bolivarian Constitution. I am sure that they would be in a completely different situation.

Q: In what position would the government be then?

A: The administration's situation would be harder perhaps. The government would be under siege, because nothing is more harassing than a democratic opposition -this generally puts any government between the devil and the deep blue sea. Coup plotting does not.

Q: A revoking referendum may put the government under siege?

A: Not necessarily. That is another thing. Opposition groups currently operating in Venezuela have not laid the grounds for a recall referendum adequately. They have wasted time. They are lost in senseless disputes. At first, they have a 38 percent support -this was a fast track for them-, but since they lack the will to serve, such a force could not be channeled through a democratic way, and instead it was focused on coup-plotting -with the help of television networks.

Q: Do you believe that Chávez' foes could have forced early elections?

A: I cannot say what they could have achieved, but in any case they could be in a better position for holding a recall referendum.

Q: And what would be the administration's situation?

A: Perhaps the government would be in a precarious position. It is hard to forecast the future when confrontation is really democratic, when citizens decide what is their best choice.

Q: How is the government facing a likely recall referendum?

A: Very calmly, with no fears. But what are Chávez opponents going to do if they do not gather the number of signatures necessary to hold this vote?

Q: There will be a revoking referendum or not?

A: I have serious doubts on the opposition's capabilities to collect the necessary signatures. This is a valid doubt, because if they do not gather signatures, there is no recall vote. I know that many people in the ranks of the opposition have this doubt. That is the reason why they have taken the way of coup-plotting and accusing Chávez of fraud.

Q: The government plans to regulate the right to demonstration, the freedom of speech and the freedom of press, why?

A: In Venezuela, people now exert their rights to demonstrate and their freedom of speech as never before. We have a hyper democracy in our country. The problem is not the exercise of the citizen's rights, but the fact that some sectors refuse to respect the Constitution, and they use the right to demonstrate or the freedom of speech with coup-plotting intentions. But we have guarantees for the political, social, business, and unionist sector to work.

We intend a regulation in the framework of the development of constitutional rights, because our Constitution establishes the regulation of general rules. We do not want to eliminate the right to demonstrate, but we do want to put an end to demonstrations having a purpose other than the exercise of a civic right. Some steps will have to be taken. If a demonstration jeopardizes lives and properties, a regulation must be adopted, either in Venezuela or in the United States.

Mi amiga cubana y del alma – Vivian Smith de Cárdenas – tenía un noviecito que no era del agrado de Yoya, su madre.  Un día Randolf -- el novio de la infancia de Vivian -- me pidió que lo acompañara para llevarle una serenata a su suegra.  Para mi sorpresa, la única canción que le cantó, desde la planta baja del edificio donde quedaba la “Discoteca Hawai Kaii”, en Colinas de Bello Monte (donde vivía entonces la familia Smith) fue “Señora”, de Joan Manuel Serrat, quien era por aquellos días un desgarbado, greñudo y peludo catalán -- medio ñángara -- que cantaba canciones de protesta y – para aquel tiempo – subida de tono en cuanto a lo moral, lo ético… y las normas de nuestra puritana y muy castiza sociedad venezolana.

“Musiuto”, uno de los hijos del desaparecido, recordado y respetado Marco Antonio -- “Musiú” -- de la Cavalerie, estaba rondando a mi hermanita y la llamaba cariñosamente “Penélope”.  Más tarde ambos – mi hermana y él – tomaron caminos diferentes, pero a su primera hija, “Musiuito” la llamó “Penélope”, en honor a una de las canciones más famosas del poeta y cantante catalán que dejó huellas en todos nosotros que crecimos huyéndole -- sin éxito -- a la influencia musical y social  de los melenudos Beatles.

Mi abuelo, Don Alonso, solía decirnos: “Caminante, no hay camino… se hace camino al andar; y al volver la vista atrás se ve la senda que no se ha de volverse a pisar.  Caminante, no hay camino: solo estelas en la mar!”  Cuál no sería mi sorpresa aquel día, al sintonizar al Capi Doncella en mi radio transistor comprado en la quincalla del chino Jung, ubicada en el Edf. Rubén Darío de la Av. Galipán en San Bernardino, cuando oigo una canción de un cantante con un marcado acento catalán, donde aparecía – en una de sus principales estrofas – la advertencia que tanto escuché de boca de mi ya desaparecido y tan añorado abuelo asturiano-cubano, quien un día – a principios del siglo pasado – llegó a Cuba como emigrante español, para morir en Venezuela como exiliado cubano, faltándole poco para cumplir los cien años de edad; cuyos huesos reposan en Caracas en espera de ser repatriados parcialmente al Oviedo de su infancia y a la Santa Clara de su vida.

Anoche, enredado en el recuerdo de un inmenso e inolvidable amor que quedó plasmado en mi alma hace treinta años, asistí al Poliedro de Caracas para vivir un par de horas en la reminiscencia de los tiempos que tanto nos duele, acompañado en la casi intimidad de aquel catalán que una vez me cautivó con su poesía hecha música, la cual produjo en mí – hace tres décadas – un rechazo forjado por su ideología de izquierda liberal, imposible de ser entendida entonces por un joven como yo que dejó sus raíces enterradas en el patio de la casa que lo vio nacer… allá, en el todavía bien-recordado Cienfuegos .

El siempre exuberante Poliedro estaba repleto a rabiar cuando -- faltando segundos para comenzar la presentación de Serrat -- nos pasó por delante la figura encorvada, macabra, huidiza, desconfiada, deformada y ladina de uno de los personajes íconos del régimen CASTRO-COMUNISTA que hoy pretende ocupar el alma y los huesos de este noble pueblo acostumbrado a vivir en paz, armonía, hermandad y dignidad: CALIXTO ORTEGA.

A Calixto lo conocí hace muchos años cuando intentaba ahorcarse en el palo de un engendro liderizado por “El Loco Olavarría” (Jorge Olavarría), llamado “La Nueva República”; experimento político que terminó – tal cual decimos en Cuba – como la fiesta del Guatao… en donde mi gran amigo de la infancia en San Bernardino – Alexis Ortiz, hoy alcalde digno de Lechería, en el Estado Anzoátegui – salió con las tablas en la cabeza y otro que se dio un feo “culazo” fue mi hermano Ricardo.  

De aquella “moña” se catapultaron dos personajes que hoy representan al grupo de traidores que intentan – sin alma – entregarle la patria al CASTRO-COMUNISMO INTERNACIONAL: Calixto Ortega y un fotógrafo, al cual tengo como “buena-gente”, quien obedece por el remoquete de “Fraso”, llamado oficialmente: Francisco Solórzano… ambos miembros oficialistas hoy de la Asamblea Nacional de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela.

Calixto siempre me pareció un individuo servicial más que servil, como muchos le decían cuando se esmeraba en demasía por cargarle las maletas al “Loco Olavarría” cuando éste llegaba de visita a Maracaibo.  “El Loco” fue su mentor y su trampolín para meterse de cabeza en el “Movimiento Quinta República” (MVR), donde hizo carrera destacándose entre tanta mediocridad… no que él sea una lumbrera, ojo, pero en un movimiento donde campean tantos ciegos – incluyendo “poetas” que no saben conjugar el verbo haber --, el tuerto, miope y cegato, puede llegar a ser rey… o – en su defecto, como en el caso del personaje que hoy nos ocupa – un temporalmente-útil cortesano.

De repente el Poliedro entero notó la presencia de mi amigo Calixto y se ha prendido una algarabía  tremendamente impresionante, donde los gritos de “¡Fuera! ¡Fuera!” se confundían con improperios tan groseros y fuertes que me abstendré de repetir aquí para evitar irrespetar a mis distinguidas lectoras de la tercera edad.

Joan Manuel no podía salir al escenario mientras duraba la sesión de más de media hora de gritos, pitas, ruidos hechos con los pies en las tarimas metálicas, tiradera de cerveza y mentadas de madres que incluían a la pobre progenitora del Diputado Ortega y aquella que vive -- cual reina -- en Sabaneta de Barinas.  En un intento por calmar a los miles de asistentes, se apagaron las luces del inmenso local y el escándalo se incrementó como si los protestantes estuviesen dirigidos por un director de orquesta sinfónica.

Me dio mucha pena, porque cuando ya presentimos el final del extraordinario espectáculo, vi pasar fugazmente la fantasmagórica figura de un Calixto Ortega traumatizado por el profundo desprecio de sus hermanos… luego me di cuenta que él, el segundo personaje de aquella inolvidable e histórica velada, se había perdido lo mejor del show.  Apenas había abandonado el recinto protegido por guardaespaldas -- dejando atrás los insultos -- el poeta Serrat llamó a la tarima a un cantautor muy querido por su pueblo, Simón Díaz – hermano del hoy despreciado Joselo, entregado incomprensiblemente al régimen de los traidores – y juntos cantaron “Sabana”, canción llanera que le llegó al alma a un público ávido de sentimientos patrios, agobiado por la pesadilla de la ocupación de una asquerosilla “potencia” extranjera representada por el ya Comandante-en-Jefe de Cuba y Venezuela: Fidel Castro Ruz. 

Faltaron canciones estelares que Calixto Ortega no llegó a oír -- producto de haber tenido que huir del recinto cual gata ladrona -- como “Caminante”, “Penélope”, “Lucía”, “Gloria a Dios en las Alturas” y una nueva que hizo delirar a la repleta audiencia, titulada: “¡Libertad!”.

No será solamente el fin de un buen espectáculo musical lo único que el Diputado Ortega se perderá en su vida.  Cuando recuperemos a  Venezuela – la patria que le dio la vida a este ingrato maracucho  – de las garras criminales y sanguinarias del CASTRO-COMUNISMO INTERNACIONAL, aquel que fue mi amigo se perderá muchísimo más que unas canciones que nos transportan por un rato a nuestros años de juventud y a una Caracas donde se podía caminar sin peligro hasta la madrugada… y más allá; cuando el temor a una dictadura CASTRO-COMUNISTA solamente existía en la mente más retrógrada, fantasiosa y absurda y los venezolanos solamente nos peleábamos por defender el cetro de belleza de una rubia llamada Cherry Núñez versus el de la morena Peggy Kopp… una “reina pepeada” costaba un bolívar y en un lejano y oscuro pueblo de Barinas un muchacho a quien mentaban Hugo – apodado “Tribilín” --, todavía no se había puesto su primer par de zapatos.

ROBERT ALONSO

Envíen sus comentarios – UNICAMENTE – a robertalonso2003@cantv.net pues los otros buzones colapsan con la cantidad de correo que reciben.  --

PORTAFOLIO VIRTUAL DE ARTÍCULOS Y ENSAYOS DEL MISMO AUTOR

Monday, 16 June

<a href=www.falkland-malvinas.com>MercoPress. Asunción, the capital of Paraguay that currently holds the chair of Mercosur will be hosting a presidential summit this Wednesday to which Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has also been invited.

The summit takes place at a very special moment following Argentina and Brazil’s official commitments to revamp Mercosur, turning the trade block into a strong instrument that should rapidly expand to the rest of South America beginning with Peru and Venezuela.

Mercosur currently has four full members, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, plus associate members Chile and Bolivia.

Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his Argentine counterpart Nestor Kirchner have agreed to the creation of a “strategic alliance” between Mercosur two main members, that with the support of the other countries will address an agenda of “actions and results rather that speeches”, as was highlighted during Mr. Kirchner’s recent visit to Brazil.

Rapid integration of South America, the creation of a directly elected Mercosur Parliament, and an only position regarding trade and cooperation discussions with United States, the European Union and in the framework of the World Trade Organization are some of the ambitious points to be considered during the two days summit in Paraguay by Mercosur, Chile and Bolivia’s presidents.

In the final ceremony Paraguay will hand Uruguay the six months pro tempore chair of Mercosur that will end in December when Argentina takes over.