4 Venezuelan students selected to join Columbus trail with 300 Iberian Americans

<a href=www.vheadline.com> Posted: Tuesday, June 10, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Four 16 years-old Venezuelan students have been chosen to represent Venezuela in the 17th Quetzal Route marking out the passage of Christopher Columbus through the Caribbean.  

Reynaldo Fierro, Mariana Barbarito, Maria Gabriela Rodriguez and Valentina Soto won the prize after their compositions about Christopher Columbus and Venezuelan folklore were sorted out and selected by a jury consisting of representatives from the Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, Spanish Secretariat of State for International Cooperation and the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Spain. 

Reynaldo received the Venezuelan flag from Spanish Embassy trade attache, Javier Triana and Banco Provincial executive president, Jose Carlos Pla ... the youngster will present the flag to King Juan Carlos on July 15. 

On the Queztal Route, the youngsters will follow the route Columbus took on his fourth voyage, visiting the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and of course, Mother Spain. 

The group will join 300 youngsters from Iberia America ending with an academic program at Madrid's University.