Nicaragua Steps up for ALBA

Nicaragua Steps up for ALBA

Managua, Feb 23 (Prensa Latina) The visit Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega will be making to Venezuela Friday will allow the country to make a further step in the integrationist process encouraged by the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA).

Once in Caracas, Ortega is expected to meet with his Venezuelan counterpart, Hugo Chavez, after they made the first step to strengthen bilateral relations in January.

Chavez and Ortega will examine the agreements signed in Managua on January 11, when the Nicaraguan leader made the country s adhesion to ALBA official.

That cooperation comprises Venezuelan oil supply under advantageous payment terms, and the granting of generators to alleviate the crisis in the Nicaraguan energy sector.

The Venezuelan government is also studying the possibility to construct a refinery, an oil pipeline, and two aluminium-processing plants in the Central American country.

During the presidential meeting today, bilateral cooperation is expected to be extended to other areas of mutual interest.

The Chavez-encouraged integrationist project has already welcomed seven members, after the Caribbean islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, and Antigua and Barbuda joined Venezuela, Cuba, Bolivia, Nicaragua last week.

sus dig nm mf
http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID={C7A2EA96-4C6C-4B7C-BAFA-C3798EB6D0F1}&language=EN

with CAFTA?

They seem to be forming their own trade block between countries of comparable wealth. A much more sensible thing to do.

http://www.nicanet.org/hotline.php?id=184
On October 10, after five hours of debate, the National Assembly approved the Dominican Republic and Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) by a vote of 49 to 37. For several weeks the Sandinista President of the National Assembly Rene Nuñez had been blocking the discussion of CAFTA in the Assembly. On October 8, however, FSLN leader Daniel Ortega announced that his party would no longer continue to keep the agreement off the agenda although he was not specific about the reasons behind this turn-around decision. He denied U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick's visit to Nicaragua, had anything to do with his party's decision saying, "We cannot continue to block CAFTA because that would be undemocratic. The Nicaraguan people will have to judge for themselves about what happens now."


http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2005&m=October&x=20051011162747GLnesnoM0.824856
The United States has congratulated the Nicaraguan government for passing the U.S.-Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, known as CAFTA-DR.

In a statement issued October 11, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) hailed Nicaragua's action, which took place on the evening of October 10.


http://www.latinbusinesschronicle.com/app/article.aspx?id=705
Instead, Ortega has promised to respect private property, encourage foreign investment, maintain the successful economic stabilization policies of his predecessor, continue Nicaragua’s membership in CAFTA and try and work with the United States.

Chavez Expands Energy Aid to Nicaragua, Strengthens Ties

By Theresa Bradley

Feb. 23 (Bloomberg) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, deepening ties with Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, revised agreements to provide the Central American nation with discount oil, energy infrastructure and small business loans.

Meeting at Venezuela's presidential palace this afternoon, Chavez, 52, and Ortega, 61, refined more than ten energy and finance accords made in Managua on Jan. 11, a day following the Sandinista leader's return to office after 16 years out of power. Neither leader disclosed details of their talks.

Chavez has leveraged Venezuela's oil reserves, the seventh-largest in the world, to extend his influence and enhance his popularity across Latin America, offering discount fuel and financial aid to allied nations including Bolivia, Argentina and Ecuador.

These are ``cooperation agreements to free us from the chains of neo-liberalism and empire,'' Chavez said on his nightly radio broadcast to the nation. ``I'd prefer 1,000- times over to have a refinery in Nicaragua than in a city in the U.S.''
(snip/...)

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=ajY6Izvg2Smo&refer=news

oh well, the other ALBA sounds ok, too. Go, Albas!