Nicaragua Steps Up for ALBA
The visit Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega will be making to Venezuela Friday will allow the country to make a further step in the integrationist process encouraged by the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA).

Once in Caracas, Ortega is expected to meet with his Venezuelan counterpart, Hugo Chavez, after they made the first step to strengthen bilateral relations in January.

Chavez and Ortega will examine the agreements signed in Managua on January 11, when the Nicaraguan leader made the country s adhesion to ALBA official.

That cooperation comprises Venezuelan oil supply under advantageous payment terms, and the granting of generators to alleviate the crisis in the Nicaraguan energy sector.

The Venezuelan government is also studying the possibility to construct a refinery, an oil pipeline, and two aluminium-processing plants in the Central American country.

During the presidential meeting today, bilateral cooperation is expected to be extended to other areas of mutual interest.

The Chavez-encouraged integrationist project has already welcomed seven members, after the Caribbean islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, and Antigua and Barbuda joined Venezuela, Cuba, Bolivia, Nicaragua last week.