Brazilian president reinforcing alliances with Venezuela
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, on a mission to reinforce alliance with Venezuela, offered warm words for Venezuelan President Hugo Chavezon Monday.

"For many years here in Venezuela there wasn't a government that worried about the poor people as you have," Lula told Chavez in a speech made during a visit to Venezuela.

Chavez's anti-poverty initiatives showed his heart in the right place, he said, predicting that the Venezuelan leader will win elections next month.

Lula, on a visit to Venezuela after his re-election, also criticized Brazil's elite who he said got used to ruling for the few.

He said both he and Chavez were victims of prejudice from people "who ruled our countries for centuries and centuries."

Chavez, who is running for re-election, thanked Lula for choosing Venezuela in his first foreign trip following his own re-election on Oct. 29.

"It was an honor to Venezuela to be the first country visited by Lula as re-elected president of Brazil," he said.

He said he will visit Brazil if he is re-elected on Dec. 7 and that the exchange of visits was aimed at continuing efforts to unite South America.

Chavez and Lula will preside over the inauguration of a bridge over the River Orinoco, which connects the eastern and central regions of Venezuela, as well as the north of Brazil to the Caribbean Sea.

It was built by Brazil-based company Odebrecht and cost 1.2 billion U.S. dollars.

The two presidents will also sign agreements on the construction of a refinery in Pernambuco state, Northeast Brazil, with estimated investments of 1.15 billion U.S. dollars.