Oil companies and Urban Agriculture in Venezuela
Oil companies producing at full capacity
In spite of Venezuelan demonstrations for peace and government criticisms of the US aggression against the Iraqi people, Rafael Ramírez, minister of energy, has stated that his country will guarantee supplies of crude oil to that market.
A member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Venezuela emphasized that its position is no different to that of the other associates, while maintaining that the common line is "not to turn oil into a political weapon."
The fifth reserve of oil in the world and at eighth place in terms of exploitation, Venezuela will continue sending 13% of U.S. oil imports, according to the minister.
For his part, in his weekly broadcast to the nation, Chávez explained on March 28 that the oil companies are functioning at full capacity, meaning that the normal 3.14 million barrels produced prior to opposition sabotage through a two-month strike designed to provoke chaos and derail the country, have been recouped.
The positive operating of this sector is key to national development, as exports and essential derivatives make up 50% of the national budget.
"We are once again exporting gasoline, and are charging for delayed payments from international clients," the Venezuelan president emphasized, adding that invoicing had been brought up to date, as delays on payment were due to the alleged misplacement of bills for last November, which are being completed now.
In the context of achievements made in the area of crude oil, Chávez announced that Brazilian and Italian firms had expressed interest in an "oil for housing" exchange program, in relation to which he has asked for a feasibility study, reported PL.
Given the oil industry’s recuperation, he highlighted the feasibility of assigning a stock of 3.14 million barrels as payment to housing construction firms. "With one million barrels (which we can produce in six hours) we can construct 4,000 houses, based on a price of $25 USD per barrel," he stated.
In this way, he underlined that "the proposed exchange program with Brazil and Italy forms a part of the Oil for the People Program, through which it is planned to use the industry’s potential to solve social problems."
INTEREST IN CLARIFYING THE INCIDENT IN COLOMBIA
"We want Colombia to be a sister nation. From now on, we are going to put things in place, mutually respect each other and work and build together," affirmed the South American president, in what was considered by many analysts to be a goodwill gesture aimed at maintaining good relations with his country’s Colombian neighbors.
The statement came after recent incursions on the Venezuelan border by Colombian paramilitary groups and the decision by Caracas to bomb several of their camps. Colombia had previously accused Chávez’ government of supporting insurgent groups, an action denied by Chávez on various occasions.
He stressed that a meeting with his Colombian counterpart, Alvaro Uribe has been scheduled for the near future with the aim of "clarifying matters and talking frankly."
Nevertheless, the amicable language used by the leader of the Bolivarian Revolution reiterates the fact that his government "does not and will not allow the entry of guerrillas or paramilitaries into Venezuela, which shares an extensive border of 2,219 kilometers with Colombia."
"Venezuela only wants peace with Colombia," and to this end, he emphatically stated that the country "will not lift a finger to support a war in that country but will fight for a negotiated and diplomatic solution to the Colombian conflict."
URBAN AGRICULTURE IN CARACAS
In association with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Chávez recently opened an agricultural cooperative in the center of the capital city Caracas. It covers an area of 3,880 square meters with a capacity for producing some 75 tons of root and fresh vegetables, in order to aid the government’s efforts to guarantee adequate nutrition through the Special Program for Food Security.
According to Chávez, this and other upcoming measures are in line with concrete efforts to alter the chaotic neoliberal system introduced into the country decades ago. The Bolivar 1 farm (an urban agriculture endeavor) is just one of the many social transformations that are gradually being developed throughout the South American country; the greatest expression of which was seen in last January’s Agrarian Reform Act, when Venezuelans of humble origin were granted land ownership titles.