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LATIN AMERICA - Monday
28
February 2005
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Uruguayans Celebrate Day before
Tabaré´s Inauguration
Hours
before the inauguration of
President-elect Tabaré Vázquez,
Uruguayans are already
celebrating the historical
moment in which the left wing
will end with more than 170
years of right wing hegemony.
The Uruguayan people have left
no space for the traditional
government of the National and
Colorado Parties and are holding
out hope and happiness for the
victory of a coalition led by
Dr. Tabaré Vázquez to target
serious social problems in the
country.
Heads of State and Government
and other political figures are
arriving in Montevideo today to
participate in the inauguration
ceremony amid strong security
measures.
Spanish Prince Felipe and
Princess Leticia will be among
the first to touch the Uruguayan
land as it is expected the
arrival of Argentinean President
Néstor Kirchner and his
Brazilian counterpart Luiz
Inacio Lula da Silva.
The list also includes
Presidents Hugo Chávez
(Venezuela), Ricardo Lagos
(Chile) y Nicanor Duarte
(Paraguay), among others.
Large posters and slogans
supporting the new president can
be seen from the Carrasco
airport in the outskirts of this
capital.
The cheerful joy gleams out of
cars and transportation vehicles
showing blue, red and white
flags representing the Frente
Amplio Party.
Vázquez won the election with
more than 50 percent of votes.
The left wing won most of the
seats in the Senate and Congress
as it will be able to pass new
laws without needing the votes
of the new opposition.
Vázquez will face a tremendous
challenge to try to take Uruguay
out of the current economic
situation, according to
Uruguayan officials. Vazquez
will substitute Jorge Batlle,
responsible for the major
economic crisis filled with the
alarming withdrawal of back
deposits, bankrupt of financial
institutions, unemployment at 20
percent and the ruin of
Uruguayans.
One of the first actions of the
new government would be the
implementation of an Emergency
Social Plan to try to solve
problems of marginalized
sectors.
Vázquez will be sworn in on
Tuesday at noon while he will
swear fidelity to the
Constitution and will receive
the ceremonial sash and from the
balcony will greet the people
and preside over the military
parade.
Venezuela and China Keep
Strengthening Economic Links
A
Venezuelan government delegation
has successfully wound up Sunday
a visit to China in search of
foreign markets,
state-of-the-art production
methods, development of national
industry and foreign investment.
It also discussed with their
hosts ways to modernize
agriculture and improve social
benefits.
The Venezuelan delegation -led
by Minister of Economy Elias
Jaua; Food Minister, General
Rafael J. Oropesa, and Lara
State Governor Luis Reyes,
visited Shandong province where
it signed a letter of intent
with the Shandong Agricultural
Sciences Academy to exchange
experiences.
Under the deal, Chinese
agricultural experts will work
in Venezuela. The letter
involves cooperation in the
management of lands, environment
protection, human resources,
genetic research and crops,
among others.
Venezuela continued its
negotiations for a Chinese
sisal-processing plant in
Venezuela, third largest
producer of this plant after the
United States and China. Sisal
has large fleshy leaves, which
yield a stiff fibre used for
making rope.
Both countries analyzed issues
of common interest on science
and technology, trade and
investments. They also reached
an agreement to repair and
modernize Venezuela"s railway
network, thus continuing a
project that had begun in 1999.
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At least 14 killed in
attacks in Colombia
At least 14 people were
killed in attacks in
southwestern Colombia and
the perpetrators were still
unknown, authorities said
Sunday.
Most of the victims were
residents of small villages
in the Narino and Valle de
Cauca department.
The Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia (FARC),
the principal rebel
organization in Colombia,
recently launched an
offensive against several
targets in Narino province.
Colombia has been locked in
a four-decade civil war, the
longest in Latin America, in
which government forces,
leftist guerrillas and
far-right paramilitaries
fight one another. The
conflicts kill more than
3,000 people a year.
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