Venezuela signs agreements to boost Argentine trade
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| Published on Wednesday, August 12, 2009 |
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By Matthew Walter and Jose Orozco
CARACAS, Venezuela (Bloomberg) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, seeking to ease his dependence on Colombian imports, met with Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner on Tuesday to sign agreements expanding trade between the two countries.
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| Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (R) talking with his Argentine counterpart Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner during a ceremony during which they signed 22 trade agreements at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas. AFP PHOTO |
Among the deals was an accord to import as many as 10,000 cars from Argentina this year instead of Colombia. Chavez said last month he’d “freeze” relations with Colombia over the country’s plan to allow the US military to use its bases and accusations by Colombia that Venezuelan weapons fell into the hands of Colombian guerrillas.
“This bilateral meeting today is aimed at deepening our vital integration,” Fernandez said Tuesday on the steps of the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, before the two leaders met.
Venezuela is Colombia’s second-biggest trading partner, and last year bilateral trade rose to $7 billion.
Fernandez and Chavez signed agreements for Venezuela to import $1 billion in agricultural machinery, leather goods and poultry products, Argentine newspaper Clarin reported Tuesday on its Web site. The deals were signed after more than 70 Argentine businessmen arrived in Caracas Monday to meet with government officials.
Pedro Bergaglio, president of Argentine textile makers association Fundacion Pro Tejer, told reporters Tuesday in Caracas that Venezuela’s state importing agency Suvinca agreed to buy $100 million in textiles this year.
In preparation for Tuesday's meeting, Argentina’s Production Minister Debora Giorgi met with representatives from carmakers, including Renault SA’s Argentina unit, Ford Motor Co., Daimler AG’s Mercedes, Toyota Motor Corp. and Fiat Spa, according to a statement from the ministry. | | | | Reads : 718 | | | |
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