Ortega Opens First Nicaragua-Venezuela Team
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega opened the first Nicaraguan-Venezuelan Mixed Commission on Monday, to analyze the cooperation agreements signed by both nations in the framework of ALBA (Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas).

A Venezuelan delegation of 60 people, led by Agriculture and Land Minister Elias Jaua, is taking part in the two days of dialogue.

"Venezuela does not want to be a model. We are searching for the experience and knowledge of the Nicaraguan people," Jaua said at the beginning of today s session.

Jaua assured that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who may fly to Managua Tuesday, will be kept informed on the development of this Mixed Commission, the first after signing the agreements in January.

"Our objective is to show that another kind of integration is possible, and the peoples can approach one another not only through trade, but also through the spirit of solidarity and hopes for a better world,

Ortega highlighted ALBA s qualities based on cooperation, solidarity and complementation, and recalled that important supplies of oil from Venezuela have come to Nicaraguan territory in the last months..

He mentioned the electric plants and other assistance by Caracas to ease the energy crisis in Nicaragua.

The topic will have a great weight in this first evaluation of 12 of the 15 agreements signed by Chavez and Ortega two months ago, and there are others under discussion in agriculture, public health, culture and sports.

Basic industry, environment, opening of an office of the National Economic Development Bank (BANDES) in Managua and construction of dwellings and roads will also be part of the event.