The president of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, declared that Brazil and Venezuela are taking concrete steps toward integration. Speaking at the signing of a series of cooperation agreements between Petrobras and Petróleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA), he said a new integration model was being created.
According to the Venezuelan chief of state the new model would "weaken the mechanisms that have facilitated the exploitation of the people of South America in the past. We need to make sure that people hear about this," he said.
Chavez criticized the media saying that most big communications companies were in the hands of those who exploit the poor. "These Brazil-Venezuelan agreements are important, we are presenting alternative methods to achieve social transformation and true development. And the media ignores us," he declared.
Chavez went on to say that he has decided to share his energy resources with Latin America, something that has created concern in rich nations.
"We want to share our petroleum, first with those who are this planet’s most needy, beginning with the peoples of South America and the Caribbean. The United States is worried about this because it knows an energy crisis is coming."
Chavez also said that for 100 years Venezuela had been "an American petroleum colony," and that was why the US feared the Brazilian-Venezuelan energy agreements.
"What we are doing runs against neoliberalism. It is not in the interest of big multinational firms. All they want to do is exploit our resources so the rich nations can benefit," he said.
ABr