Chávez says he has arranged a one billion dollar loan from the NSEDB
France Presse, in Manaus and Folha Online (translated by me in a hurry)
Today, venezuelan president Hugo Chávez ended his most recent visit to Brazil announcing a loan of US$ 1 billion dollars from the NSEDB [National Social and Economic Development Bank; por. acronym BNDES] to stimulate bilateral commerce.
If confirmed, it will be one of the largest loans yet made by the NSEDB to a foreign country. In four months of Lula's government, the NSEDB has entered arrangements of up to US$3 billion to finance Latin American countries, 62% more than between 1997-2002. In may, the NSEDB announced a fund of up to 1 billion to finance bilateral commerce with Argentina.
Chávez participated in a meeting in Manaus [capital of Amazonas state] with businessmen from both countries, in which he closed several business partnerships. Amongst these, the NSEDB 1 billion dollar credit stands out.
The Venezuelan president affirmed that next Wednesday mission from the bank will arrive in Caracas to study the credit, which will be active from this very moment, as President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva put it.
Chávez insisted that the Venezuelan economy "has begun to recover" from the economic effects of the opposition's strike, which lasted 63 days (ending last february_ and caused losses of US$ 7,6 billion, according to government estimates.
The Venezuelan affirmed that the country's international reserves reached US$17.5 billion, while the price of the basic package of food items and petrol was above US$25 this week.
However, he assured that exchange controls imposed by his government since 5 february to face the effects of the strike "is a transitory measure," but that it will not be lifted in the short term.
He also guaranteed the delivery of resources to foreign investors in Venezuela. "We are sufficiently conscious and flexible to understand the needs of the businessmen who invest and to facilitate the mechanisms for the settling of disputes," he affirmed.
The president of the Brazil-Venezuela Chamber of Comerce, José Francisco Marcondes, affirmed that the business meeting in Manaus served to close deals to the value of US$100 million.
He signalled that a Venezuelan corporation - the name of which he did not reveal - acquired "Almost the whole soya production" of Roraima [a state in Brazil's extreme north, beyond the Amazon].
On the other hand, Chávez threatened to intervene militarily against police forces involved in the violence unleashed last Friday, in Caracas, which left a tally of 16 wounded. The president assured that he was not going to cross his arms and that he will punish all those responsible for the violent disturbances.
Commerce between Brazil and Venezuela fell to US$1,4 billion in 2002, but should reach US$2 billion this year, and US$3 billion in 2004, Marcondes told AFP some months ago.
Chávez visit begun last Saturday and is the fifth time he has come to Brazil during this year. Chávez returns today to Venezuela, according to official sources.
Original:
http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/folha/dinheiro/ult91u68769.shtml