Venezuela and Ecuador Create Joint Mining, Fishing, Cacao, Auto Lubricant Companies

[protocol rv]

Mérida, March 27th 2010 (Venezuelanalysis.com) – On Friday, Ecuadoran and Venezuelan officials created a series of bi-national companies to produce automobile lubricant and food, and progressed on plans for joint oil and gas exploration, in what the leaders called a step forward for continental integration.

http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/5226

-------

My comment: I see Chavez didn't offer to finance the hydroelectric plant after the Chinese walked out of the negotiations. Instead they produced a little vaporware. I love the joint oil and gas exploration bit. PDVSA is desperate for foreign companies to help it out of the whole it has dug for itself, and it's going to explore for oil and gas in Ecuador? That's what I call wasting Venezuela's money.

[protocol rv]

1. I do wonder, what's the synergy in growing cacao with an Ecuadorian?

our farmers grow cacao in private plots...their problem is how to get the product to a higher-end market. So we really don't need Ecuadorian help to improve our performance in this area. What we need is better training for cacao farmers, safer roads so they can bring their product to market, and an international marketing campaign to sell Venezuelan chocolate. And of course, the government needs to stop fiddling the exchange rates, which make agriculture in Venezuela lack competitiveness.