Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08GUATEMALA895
2008-07-14 23:34:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Guatemala
Cable title:
PRESIDENT COLOM SIGNS PETROCARIBE DEAL WITH
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHGT #0895 1962334 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 142334Z JUL 08 FM AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5736 INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 0632 RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 4896
UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000895
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG ECON ETRD PREL PGOV SOCI GT
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT COLOM SIGNS PETROCARIBE DEAL WITH
VENEZUELA
REF: GUATEMALA 867
UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000895
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG ECON ETRD PREL PGOV SOCI GT
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT COLOM SIGNS PETROCARIBE DEAL WITH
VENEZUELA
REF: GUATEMALA 867
1. On July 13, President Colom signed a PetroCaribe deal
(reftel) with Venezuela during the 5th Extraordinary Summit
of PetroCaribe member states in Maracaibo, Venezuela to help
alleviate Guatemala's increasing fuel and food prices. Under
the terms of the deal, which requires congressional approval,
Venezuela has agreed to provide Guatemala 20,000 barrels of
diesel per day.
2. Carlos Meany, Guatemalan Minister of Energy and Mines,
told Guatemalan reporters that the deal is strictly
commercial and does not have any political significance.
Foreign Minister Haroldo Rodas asserted that the agreement
with Venezuela will not affect Guatemala's relations with
other countries and clarified that it does not signify that
Guatemala is part of Chavez' "Bolivarian Alternative" in
opposition to free trade.
3. President Colom affirmed that the government will invest
the cash flow made available to the government from the deal
-- an estimated Q400 million (USD 53 million) per month -- in
social development, job creation, and poverty reduction to
provide poor, rural communities with access to basic
services. Among the projects to be financed are installation
of a railroad between Mexico and El Salvador, implementation
of Social Cohesion programs led by the First Lady,
improvement of Guatemala's urban transport system and
infrastructure, energy development, and construction of a
highway which will reportedly benefit more than 1,600
communities.
Derham
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ENRG ECON ETRD PREL PGOV SOCI GT
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT COLOM SIGNS PETROCARIBE DEAL WITH
VENEZUELA
REF: GUATEMALA 867
1. On July 13, President Colom signed a PetroCaribe deal
(reftel) with Venezuela during the 5th Extraordinary Summit
of PetroCaribe member states in Maracaibo, Venezuela to help
alleviate Guatemala's increasing fuel and food prices. Under
the terms of the deal, which requires congressional approval,
Venezuela has agreed to provide Guatemala 20,000 barrels of
diesel per day.
2. Carlos Meany, Guatemalan Minister of Energy and Mines,
told Guatemalan reporters that the deal is strictly
commercial and does not have any political significance.
Foreign Minister Haroldo Rodas asserted that the agreement
with Venezuela will not affect Guatemala's relations with
other countries and clarified that it does not signify that
Guatemala is part of Chavez' "Bolivarian Alternative" in
opposition to free trade.
3. President Colom affirmed that the government will invest
the cash flow made available to the government from the deal
-- an estimated Q400 million (USD 53 million) per month -- in
social development, job creation, and poverty reduction to
provide poor, rural communities with access to basic
services. Among the projects to be financed are installation
of a railroad between Mexico and El Salvador, implementation
of Social Cohesion programs led by the First Lady,
improvement of Guatemala's urban transport system and
infrastructure, energy development, and construction of a
highway which will reportedly benefit more than 1,600
communities.
Derham