Venezuela and Brazil to foster strategic alliances in the financial area http://www.telesurtv.net/noticias/secciones/nota/72596-NN/venezuela-y-brasil-impulsan-alianza-estrategica-en-el-area-financiera/

With the installation of a strategic planning workshop, Venezuela and Brazil continue to foster a strategic alliance in the financial area, which deepened some agreements already concluded between the major public banks between  both South American nations, as stated by the Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro . In assessing the first day of the workshop, Maduro said the bilateral meeting will also review other areas of cooperation between the two countries, including the development of economic activities over a vast area ranging from southern Venezuela and northern Brazil. 

"This workshop will allow us to have a more objective assessment, but also have a strategic vision of a plan to develop what we have never had with Brazil: large columns of development around the major developments  in the circumstances in wich our region is  playing in world stage ( Â ...) and the development in large areas, the possibilities, such as northern Brazil and southern Venezuela, "said Maduro. As far as financial matters are concerned, the highest representative of the Venezuelan diplomacy underlined that the issue will be addressed concerning the alliance between the Brazilian entity Federal Caixa and Banco de Venezuela, both public financial institutions, "to democratize banking services to the popular sectors of the population. " 

"In addition to combining housing projects with loans that would not only improve housing in the popular sectors, but progress in the development and construction of a new type of popular sectors," said Maduro. Maduro stressed that, as part of the strategic planning workshop, a group of specialists and senior officials of both nations will assess bilateral development projects and also provide further scope into the various programs already underway. He also assured that the partnership will deepen with the Venezuelan government's National Development Bank (BNDES) to finance large infrastructure and industrial investments in Venezuela. 

He stressed that "the complementation of joint development projects with Brazil shows the possibility of building a new type of bilateral relationship between our countries." "Far from the old dogmas which subjected our trade relations , always linked to multinationals, today we are going to develop the major themes of modern life and the future of our countries," he said. As part of its participation in the workshop, in Venezuela,we have  a Brazilian delegation headed by the Chief Minister of Strategic Affairs and Deputy Minister Samuel Pinheiro of Brazil for relations with Latin America, Antonio Simoes. 

On the meeting, Pinheiro said the mechanism of interaction is an initiative presented by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez during the last quarterly meeting with his Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, held last April in the city of Brasilia. The Brazilian minister explained that the projects on the agenda of the workshop include, inter alia, housing, banking sectors eligible for the popular micro-credit system, culture, industry and energy cooperation.