February 1, 2005
Chávez and Kirchner launch Telesur

(Panorama Digital) - " President Hugo Chávez left Porto Alegre heading for Buenos Aires, where he met Argentinean President Néstor Kirchner to complete an agenda that included agreements about communicational and energetic issues.

Chávez and Kirchner formalized the agreements signed by them last July in Puerto Iguazú regarding the creation of Telesur, a Venezuelan project for a joint channel with all the state TV stations of the region.

Chávez's also attended the inauguration of the first gas station PDVSA-Enarsa, formed by Petróleos de Venezuela and the state-owned Energía Argentina Sociedad Anónima. The new gas stations have the Venezuelan and Argentinean flags as their logo and are being commercialized under the name of Petrosur.

Besides his meeting with Kirchner in Buenos Aires, Chávez also attended the first shipping of livestock in exchange for the oil sent by Venezuela to Argentina during the energetic crisis in 2004.

Chávez's visit creates expectations regarding the possibility for the Venezuelan Government to buy the local branch of the Anglo-Dutch firm Shell.

This oil company has 16,5% participation in Argentinean petrol market, with a network of 900 stations around the country and a refinery in Campana, near Buenos Aires.

Venezuelan Ambassador to Argentina, Freddy Balzán, said it is expected that business between Venezuela and Argentina will increase 100%, reaching 1000 million dollars.

During 2003 the amount of business between Venezuela and Argentina reached 178 million dollars, in 2004 it exceeded 400 million dollars and 2005 forecasts are for 1000 million dollars".