Hugo Chávez and Cristina Fernández take a further step towards Latin American integration

Chávez and Cristina in Buenos Aires today

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and his Argentinean counterpart Cristina Fernández have signed at Casa Rosada, the government house in Buenos Aires, several agreements related to the economic integration and complementation of the two nations, whilst reviewing important aspects of their bilateral ties, reports Telesur today.

This is their third summit, and the last one this year, to materialize the integration process between the two Latin American giants. During a press conference both presidents discussed the vitality and continuity of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) and emphasized the importance of integration for Latin American countries, so they can thrive free of U.S. meddling.

On arriving in Buenos Aires Chávez told reporters that Venezuela will import “thousands of vehicles, about 600.000 tons of food, and some 400 million USD in agricultural machinery from Argentina”. Later the Venezuelan President added that “all oil and derivatives Argentina needs for the next 200 years will be sent there” and described the Argentinean-Venezuelan relations as “a perfect equation of food and energy that complements both countries perfectly”.

Both leaders also condemned the NATO airstrikes against Libya and considered those actions of aggression a prelude to the looting of the oil reserves of that country, and deplored the loss of civilian lives in the conflict.