Brazil calls for Latin American nations to aid Venezuela

["Fred Feldman" <ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>From Vheadline
International
Posted: Thursday, January 09, 2003
By: Robert Rudnicki

Brazilian president will initiate "friends of Venezuela" group

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will push for the formation of
a "friends of Venezuela" group when the Presidents of the all Latin American
countries meet in Quito on January 15 for the swearing in of Lucio Gutierrez
as Ecuador's new leader. The Brazilian premier has already sent a shipment
of gasoline to Venezuela to help the government fight against possible
shortages as the national general strike runs into its third week. Now the
Brazilian President wants to proceed with a more formal action on an
international level.

According to Brazil's Foreign Minister, Celso Amorin, the Brazilian
government is aware that a solution cannot be pulled out of a hat, but it
will seek to help President Hugo Chavez Frias and his government by
convening a meeting of Presidents and Foreign Ministers from all Latin
American nations during which the formation of the group will be suggested.

The Colombian government has already helped out by selling tonnes of food
supplies to Venezuela on two separate occasions, and Venezuela has now also
agreed to purchase supplies of rice and flour from Uruguay to help reduce
the possibility of shortages.



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