President Chavez Frias thanks Qatar for gasoline supplies

www.vheadline.com Posted: Monday, March 24, 2003 By: Robert Rudnicki

President Hugo Chavez Frias has thanked Gulf state Qatar for sending 265,000 barrels of gasoline to help Venezuela with the gasoline shortages that were troubling the nation during January and February this year.

"I would like to thank our brother country Qatar, all the Venezuelan people thank and applaud you," the president said during his weekly "Alo Presidente" radio show.

According to the President, once Qatari Emir Sheik Hamad Bin Jalifa Al Thani heard of the acts of sabotage against the Venezuelan petroleum industry and its people he "immediately ordered a ship to be sent" and it arrived in the port of Carenero on Saturday.

The gasoline will be sent to Caracas and the center of the country as soon as possible ... but the worst of the supply situation is now over as Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) informs that current production levels have risen above three million barrels per day.