Translated by Brian Schwarz
Originally published January 4, 2010 in "La Prensa" of Managua, Nicaragua (laprensa.com.ni) under the heading Bolivia anuncia cumbre de Unasur
LA PAZ, BOLIVIA (AFP) – The Bolivian government announced Monday in La Paz that the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) will host a summit in Quito, Ecuador, January 27 and 28, to discuss the issue of the seven U.S. military bases in Colombia.
“We will be arranging a meeting of the heads of state of UNASUR, January 27 and 28, where we will discuss exclusively the issue of the military bases” in Colombia, said Bolivian defense minister Walker San Miguel, interviewed by the private radio station Erbol.
The Bolivian official announced that “the Bolivian government will take its well-known stance” at the meeting, referring to La Paz’ firm criticism of the U.S. military bases, a position clearly shared by Colombia’s neighbors, Venezuela and Ecuador.
The existence of more than six bases staffed with U.S. personnel has generated a total impasse in the region, which feels uncomfortable with the foreign presence”, said the defense minister, Bolivia’s point person on the Colombia-U.S. military situation.
At the last meeting of UNASUR, held in Quito last November, defense ministers agreed to organize a regional meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton in order to discuss the matter.
UNASUR, headquartered in Ecuador, is comprised of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Guyana, Paraguay, Perú, Surinam, Uruguay and Venezuela. [UNASUR in this article refers to the voting body formed by the UNASUR treaty, signed in 2008, which aims to organize South America in a model similar to that of the European Union with a common currency, parliament, and passport.]
Showing posts with label Venezuela. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Venezuela. Show all posts
Monday, January 4, 2010
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Cienfuegos Refinery completes annual production plan
Translated by Brian Schwarz
Originally published Friday, December 11, 2009 in "Cinco de Septiembre" (5septiembre.cu) under the heading Cumple Refinería de Cienfuegos plan anual de producción by Ramón Barreras Ferrán
[NOTE: Free press does not exist in Cuba, hence the “official” tone of this article.]
CIENFUEGOS, CUBA – In another demonstration that stability and efficiency are primary strengths of the Cienfuegos Petroleum Refinery since restarting operations, the plant’s annual production plan – which calls for more than 20.8 million barrels of processed crude – has been completed 11 days ahead of schedule.
That figure is expected to grow in the remaining days of December, bringing the number closer to 40 million barrels of processed crude. The new success of the Cuban-Venezuelan joint venture company, PDV-Cupet, which is charged with administration of the plant, makes for an excellent introduction to the next Summit of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA), the first diplomatic efforts for which began in Havana today.
In time, [the success of Cienfuegos plant] will be joined by the kick off of the plants that will form [the company] Polo Petrochemicals of Cienfuegos, the first of which will be POLIALBA, or the Polyethanol Bags Factory.
The project to increase capacity from 65,000 to 150,000 barrels of crude daily at the Camilo Cienfuegos Refinery now will successfully be under way.
As part of the anticipated investments in the expansion program, four new storage tanks are in the final phase of completion, thanks to the progress made by the builders using a designated automatic welding machine for making the five steel wrings that hold the structure together.
Currently, the plant has the capacity to store 4.2 million barrels. The new tanks will be essential to hold even more crude and to securely maintain finished products, such as aircraft fuel.
The expansion program has the possibility of increasing added value through profound conversion schemes and by obtaining prime materials for the petrochemicals industry, which will guarantee its economic viability.
Planned projects include reactivating the diesel hydrorefinery in order to improve production quality, completing a comprehensive study of the bay for the provision of crude and delivery of finished products in a secure manner, as well as the revitalization of the Matanzas-Cienfuegos oil pipeline.
The building of a liquid natural gas plant that would double the country’s current production capacity is also forecast.
Originally published Friday, December 11, 2009 in "Cinco de Septiembre" (5septiembre.cu) under the heading Cumple Refinería de Cienfuegos plan anual de producción by Ramón Barreras Ferrán
[NOTE: Free press does not exist in Cuba, hence the “official” tone of this article.]
CIENFUEGOS, CUBA – In another demonstration that stability and efficiency are primary strengths of the Cienfuegos Petroleum Refinery since restarting operations, the plant’s annual production plan – which calls for more than 20.8 million barrels of processed crude – has been completed 11 days ahead of schedule.
That figure is expected to grow in the remaining days of December, bringing the number closer to 40 million barrels of processed crude. The new success of the Cuban-Venezuelan joint venture company, PDV-Cupet, which is charged with administration of the plant, makes for an excellent introduction to the next Summit of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA), the first diplomatic efforts for which began in Havana today.
In time, [the success of Cienfuegos plant] will be joined by the kick off of the plants that will form [the company] Polo Petrochemicals of Cienfuegos, the first of which will be POLIALBA, or the Polyethanol Bags Factory.
The project to increase capacity from 65,000 to 150,000 barrels of crude daily at the Camilo Cienfuegos Refinery now will successfully be under way.
As part of the anticipated investments in the expansion program, four new storage tanks are in the final phase of completion, thanks to the progress made by the builders using a designated automatic welding machine for making the five steel wrings that hold the structure together.
Currently, the plant has the capacity to store 4.2 million barrels. The new tanks will be essential to hold even more crude and to securely maintain finished products, such as aircraft fuel.
The expansion program has the possibility of increasing added value through profound conversion schemes and by obtaining prime materials for the petrochemicals industry, which will guarantee its economic viability.
Planned projects include reactivating the diesel hydrorefinery in order to improve production quality, completing a comprehensive study of the bay for the provision of crude and delivery of finished products in a secure manner, as well as the revitalization of the Matanzas-Cienfuegos oil pipeline.
The building of a liquid natural gas plant that would double the country’s current production capacity is also forecast.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Venezuela completes delivery of Mirage aircraft to Ecuador
Translated by Brian SchwarzOriginally published Friday, December 11, 2009 in "El Comercio" of Ecuador (elcomercio.com) under the heading Venezuela completa la entrega de aviones Mirage a Ecuador
MARACAY, VENEZUELA - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez yesterday dispatched during an anniversary ceremony for the Venezuelan Air Force the final three Mirage 50 aircraft being donated to Ecuador.
“With this act the departure of our Mirage airplanes to Ecuador becomes a reality, and there are those who say they are just scrap metal, but they are combat aircraft in perfect condition”, Chavez said.
Chavez stated that “three of these already have arrived there” in the month of October, and “these three make the six [we promised]”.
The ceremony, held in the city of Maracay, some 100 Kilometers from Caracas, Ecuadorian pilots led by the defense envoy from the Ecuadorian Embassy in Caracas, Colonel of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Ramón Paz y Miño and major Santiago Galarza.
The president emphasized that the gesture is a “reaffirmation” of the “true South American unity” that drives his government and and assures that the donated aircraft will “help defend the sovereignty and peace of Ecuador”.
In January, Chavez also recalled, the first six Chinese-built K8 airplanes and the Brazilian-made T27s arrived in Venezuela.
On Thursday the president issued a decree that changed the air force’s anniversary date to November 27 in commemoration of the uprising of pilots who sought to reissue Chavez’ failed coup [on then constitutional president Carlos Andrés Pérez] on February 4, 2002, nine months later.
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