Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva declared, today, in Caracas, Venezuela, that South American integration is Brazil’s number one foreign policy priority. In Lula’s view this integration requires greater commercial exchanges in a more balanced regional setting.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Brazil-Venezuela business encounter, Lula affirmed that special attention must be given to the questions of investments and infrastructure.
According to the Brazilian President, the outlook for trade relations between Brazil and Venezuela in 2005 is very promising, especially in the energy sector.
“There are already understandings between PDVSA (Venezuelan Petroleum S.A.) and Petrobrás for the construction of a refinery in Brazil as well as exploration in Venezuela.
‘There are also good prospects in the areas of iron, bauxite, and nickel mining. I should also like to point out the understandings with Embraer (Brazilian Aircraft Company), which will enable Venezuela to participate in airplane assembly,” Lula affirmed.
Lula said that the strategic cooperation alliance between Brazil and Venezuela fills him with pride and hope, since it represents an opportunity to create jobs on both sides of the border.
President Lula concluded his speech both challenging and goading the Brazilian entrepreneurs who attended the Brazil-Venezuela encounter.
“Associate with one another, do business, create income and new jobs. Your individual success will be the success of all of us. Together we shall attain higher degrees of liberty,” he affirmed.
Translation: David Silberstein
Agência Brasil