President Chávez meets with Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, President of Argentina At the ceremony, President Fernández de Kirchner affirmed that her country will continue working on integration agreements together with countries such as Venezuela to achieve new business models including the transfer of technology and interdependent economies.

The governments of Venezuela and Argentina endorsed 221 new cooperation agreements on January 22 on the occasion of the official visit paid by the Argentinean President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner to Venezuela.

The agreements signed by the governments of Presidents Fernández de Kirchner and Hugo Chávez included the following:

Cooperation Agreement on industrial interdependence in the field of health.

Memorandum of Understanding on the creation of an Argentinean-Venezuelan Fund for industrial development and agro-industrial services.

Letter of Intention between Venezuela’s Corporación Venezolana Agraria (CVA) and Argentina’s Sociedad Argentina Vassalli Fabril, S.A.; and a Letter of Intention between the Corporación Eléctrica Nacional, C.A. and Argentina’s EMA.

Agreement on joint studies in mature oil fields between Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) and Argentina’s Empresa Nacional Energética S.A. (ENARSA).

Cooperation agreement in the field of prevention against the illegal drug consumption and fight against illegal drug trafficking, as well as crimes linked to these activities.

In this regard, President Chávez explained to the Argentinean delegation that, contrary to what the pro-opposition campaign from the United States, which acuses Venezuela of not fighting drug trafficking, Venezuela is a victim. “Colombia uses Venezuela as a bridge to traffic drugs to the United States.”

He stressed the work carried out by the Bolivarian government in this field and highlighted: “We have been eliminating and destroying clandestine airstrips, which were used as a bride to traffic drugs from Colombia to the United States.”

The Venezuelan president recalled that the biggest drug trafficking cartels move in Colombia and the drug they produce is aimed to the United States, the world’s biggest drug-consuming country.

President Chávez highlighted the work carried out by the Venezuelan Interior Minister Tarek El Aissami to fight drug trafficking and insecurity. He explained the plans developed by the opposition through its shock troops with guarimbas (orchestrated protests aimed at provoking violence to achieve political aims).

He said this was not a new strategy of the opposition. “It is a well-planned strategy we have been facing for some years now.”

Business Models must be consolidated with transfer of technology

At the ceremony, President Fernández de Kirchner affirmed that her country will continue working on integration agreements together with countries such as Venezuela to achieve new business models including the transfer of technology and interdependent economies.

The Colonel Antonio Nicolás Briceño Socialist Technical Productive Center is one of the achievements resulting from the integration between Venezuela and Argentina. At this center, located in Trujillo state (Venezuela’s southwest), Holando-Argentino cattle is found to improve the genetics of the Venezuelan cattle.

Fernández de Kirchner expressed she was proud of this achievement and described it as a great advancement for the Venezuelan and Argentinean agricultural producers.

She said that she will visit Venezuela in July, as well as this productive center.

According to the Argentinean president, the most important element of this kind of business is that they give concrete results that can be enjoyed by all societies. “Venezuela has food sovereignty; this must be every country’s goal and it justifies this kind of projects.”

“Integration means increasing trade exchange and technology,” she said as she expressed that Argentina will always be grateful for Venezuela’s help, “especially when Argentina lacked access to capital markets.”

The Argentinean president congratulated Venezuela and invited the nation to continue working on the integration and cooperation process under a new form of business between both nations.

In this case, she mentioned that Venezuela’s main expertise is in the oil field, while Argentina’s is in the agricultural and cattle field with state-of-the-art technology.

On the other hand, President Chávez said: “Thank you, Argentina, for opening your arms and believe in us as we believe in you.”