President of Venezuela pledges support for SVG

President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro Moros says he plans to continue to stand by Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves and the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).

In a brief statement to the media after his arrival at the ET Joshua airport on Sunday,{{more}} Maduro, speaking through an interpreter, said when one compares the situation of the Caribbean with that of the Mediterranean, one can say that Petro Caribe was worth it.

He also pledged to continue the work started by late president of Venezuela Hugo Chavez and former Cuban president Fidel Castro.

Petro Caribe is an alliance of several Caribbean states with Venezuela which allows the states to purchase oil on conditions of preferential payment.

Maduro’s visit to SVG came almost four weeks after a scheduled visit on October 6 did not materialize, owing to heavy rains.

On arrival at the airport, Maduro was greeted by Governor General (Ag) Susan Dougan, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines Dr Ralph Gonsalves and his wife Eloise Gonsalves, members of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF), along with other members of Parliament.

The visiting president was then given a salute by the RSVGPF, which was led by Superintendent Richard Browne, followed by an inspection of the guard.

Also in attendance at the airport were primary school students from various schools, who were told by President Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores to call him ‘Uncle Nicolás’, explaining that the children of Venezuela only refer to him as ‘Uncle Nicolás’.

Maduro was also accompanied on the one-day visit by Rodolfo Marco Torres, Vice-President for Economic Area and Minister of People’s Power for the Economy, Finance and Public Bank; Delcy Rodriguez, Minister of People’s Power of Foreign Affairs; Jesus Salzar Velasquez – Minister of People’s Power of the President’s Office; Desirée Santos Amaral – Minister of People’s Power for Communication and Information; Eulogio Del Pino – Minister of People’s Power for Petroleum and Mines; Alexander Yánez – Deputy Minister for Latin America and the Caribbean; Raul Licausi – Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the Caribbean and Yuri Pimentel Ambassador-designate of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

While the arrival ceremony was taking place at the airport on Sunday, many Vincentians were observed at the fence of the airport hoping to get a glimpse of President Maduro as he disembarked his aeroplane.

During his one-day visit, Maduro attended a Dominca benefit concert at the Victoria Park on Sunday night and yesterday, he visited the Argyle International Airport where a press conference was held.

Following the visit to the airport, a bilateral meeting between him and Prime Minister Gonsalves on “matters of mutual interest” was held at the Prime Minister’s office. A luncheon was then held at the official residence of the Prime Minister.

President Maduro left St Vincent at a half past four yesterday afternoon.(CM)