EL UNIVERSAL

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez Wednesday welcomed Cuban Vice-President Carlos Lage at the presidential palace of Miraflores, downtown Caracas.

A military parade group paid homage to the Cuban official upon his arrival. Chávez and Lage, together with their delegations, entered the Venezuelan ruler's office to hold a working meeting including eight technical committees.

Neither the Venezuelan Ministry of Communication and Information nor the Cuban Government had advised reporters on Lage's and his large delegation's visit to Caracas. Information on the visit was disclosed to reporters a few minutes before their arrival in the presidential palace of Miraflores.

Both governments initialed agreements to complete some USD 120,000 joint projects in mining and telecommunications. This a new step to cement their close political and economic ties -which have been the target of harsh US criticism, Reuters reported.

The two countries executed an agreement to organize a joint venture exploiting ferronickel intended to produce stainless steel in Venezuela.

"We will cash in on Cuban ferronickel and Venezuelan electricity to find a niche in the marketplace," said Venezuelan Minister of Basic Industries and Mining José Khan.

He estimated that USD 600 million would be invested in the steel manufacturing plant, while other USD 521 million would be earmarked for the ferronickel plant.

Cuban and Venezuelan officials also entered into an agreement to organize a telecommunications joint venture that is to lay a submarine fiber optic cable between Venezuela and Cuba. "It is a 1,552 km cable allowing for high speed connection at a low price for Cuba and neighbor countries," the Minister for Telecommunications Jesse Chacón explained.

Further, both government initialed cooperation agreements for rice production in Venezuela intended for export to the Cuban market and to overhaul Cuban railway network.

Regarding tourism, the two governments signed letters of intent to create a joint venture in Tres Cayos, Cuba, and to establish a joint tourism incentive program under which at least 100,000 low-income Venezuelans are to visit the island every year.

The Minister of Tourism Titina Azuaje said the goal "is boosting integration, cooperation and learning about our historic and cultural facts."

Fidel is "almost jogging"
President Chávez, following his meeting with Lage, read a letter from Cuban ruler Fidel Castro commenting about the visit of the Cuban delegation to execute 15 cooperation agreements.

Castro asked Chávez not to disclose the letter. "I am going to show you -who claim he is dying or he cannot talk or move- the stroke of his signature."

Chávez said Lage told him that Fidel walked for several minutes on Tuesday. "He is walking more than me, he is almost jogging."

Regarding the United States, Chávez claimed that George W. Bush "threatens Venezuela when he threatens Cuba."

Translated by Maryflor Suárez R.
msuarez@eluniversal.com