ARGENTINA: Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro meets with Cristina Fernandez to boost regional ties

Record ID: 447406

  • Title: ARGENTINA: Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro meets with Cristina Fernandez to boost regional ties
  • Date: 9th May 2013
  • Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (MAY 08, 2013) (REUTERS) ARGENTINE FLAG EXTERIOR OF ARGENTINE GOVERNMENT'S HEADQUARTERS VENEZUELAN DELEGATION WITH PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO ARRIVING VENEZUELAN FLAG VARIOUS OF MADURO ARRVING AT MEETING WITH ARGENTINE PRESIDENT CRISTINA FERNANDEZ FERNANDEZ GREETING MADURO AND ENTERING GOVERNMENT HEADQUARTERS FERMANDEZ AND MADURO DURING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARGENTINE PRESIDENT CRISTINA FERNANDEZ, SAYING: "Today, for the first time under the presence of a president of the Bolivarian Republic that is not Hugo Chavez Frias, I must say that at least for me, I don't know about others, that this is a very special moment that stirs up special feelings and very special situations." MADURO AND FERNANDEZ DURING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARGENTINE PRESIDENT CRISTINA FERNANDEZ, SAYING: "Today we signed important agreements with our sister, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, to build relations and, as Hugo (Chavez) said, to use these complimentary (nations) perfectly, almost like a puzzle with the two countries. to continue to move forward in the process of social inclusion." PUBLIC APPLAUDING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO, SAYING: "On the issue of food security, we have established joint agreements to guarantee, fortalize and resume again the food reserve that Chavez wanted for Venezuela, in three months." MORE OF FERNANDEZ AND MADURO DURING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO, SAYING: "We've had severe supply problems due to various factors. One of them, even if you don't believe it, is as is said in the movies, "economic sabotage." FERNANDEZ AND MADURO HUGGING AND LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 24th May 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA36IQQXYTTAF93KLNUR0SL3650
  • Story Text: Venezuela's new President Nicolas Maduro arrived in Buenos Aires on Wednesday (May 08) as part of a South American tour aimed at strengthening regional alliances amid a political crisis back home after disputed presidential elections earlier this year.
    In his first official tour abroad, the late Hugo Chavez's hand-picked successor headed to Argentina's presidential palace for talks with close ally Cristina Fernandez.
    "Today, for the first time under the presence of a president of the Bolivarian Republic that is not Hugo Chavez Frias, I must say that at least for me, I don't know about others, that this is a very special moment that stirs up special feelings and very special situations," said Fernandez.
    With the two leaders expected to sign a host of bilateral agreements in the areas of agriculture, energy and science, Fernandez said the leaders were fulfilling Chavez's wish to bind the continent closer together.
    "Today we signed important agreements with our sister, the Bolivarian republic of Venezuela, to build relations and, as Hugo (Chavez) said, to use these complimentary (nations) perfectly, almost like a puzzle with the two countries. to continue to move forward in the process of social inclusion," she declared.
    Earlier in the day, Maduro vowed to start a "food revolution" back home as Venezuela faces food shortages of basic items such as rice and sugar items. Enlisting the help of South American farming giant Argentina to feed its growing dependence on food imports, Maduro told media he is fullfilling his predecessors wish to establish a food bank for Venezuela's poor.
    "On the issue of food security, we have established joint agreements to guarantee, fortalize and resume again the food reserve that Chavez wanted for Venezuela, in three months," he said.
    Maduro's critics say "Chavista" socialism is to blame for food shortages in Venezuela, blaming crippling price controls, rampant inflation and subsidized staples for distortions in the market.
    Chavez's heir blames big business and Chavez' rivals for creating Venezuela's food shortages, calling the move "economic sabotage."
    "We've had severe supply problems due to various factors. One of them, even if you don't believe it, is as is said in the movies, "economic sabotage," added Maduro.
    Under Maduro's mentor Chavez, Venezuela has been one of debt-ridden Argentina's closest ally with the oil-rich nation buying billions of Argentine bonds..
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