AMERICAS PRESS REVIEW

In the spotlight: Venezuela wants to regain its role as an oil power

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks to Alvaro Silva Calderon, during a ceremony for the 62nd anniversary of OPEC, at the presidential palace of Miraflores in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, September 14, 2022. © AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos

Text by: Stefanie Schüler Follow

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On Wednesday, during the visit of the Secretary General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to Caracas, President Nicolas Maduro assured that his government had " 

considerably straightened out the oil industry

 ", whereas, as the daily

El Nacional

, " 

oil production had fallen to historic lows after years of disinvestment and lack of infrastructure maintenance

 ".

Also, according to the newspaper, Venezuela today produces “ 

700,000 barrels per day against a daily production of 2.3 million

in

2002 

”.

But, as the

El Universal

columnist points out , " 

Russia's interruption of energy supplies to Western countries opens up a new perspective for Venezuelan oil, which could become one of the main suppliers to these countries 

."

This is also the opinion of Nicolas Maduro: " 

Venezuela is ready and prepared to fulfill its role and to supply, in a stable and safe way, the market with the oil and gas that the world economy needs

 ", declared Venezuelan President.

“ 

We are ready to gradually ramp up oil production and to develop and increase production of refined products.

 »

But Nicolas Maduro is also a close ally of Vladimir Putin.

And it is thus, writes the online newspaper

Tal Cual

, that Nicolas Maduro " 

strongly criticizes the sanctions of the international community against Russia

 " while wanting to take advantage of the diplomatic and economic window that this crisis opens for Venezuela.

For his part, the Secretary General of OPEC said he was convinced that “ 

Venezuela will play a key role in meeting global energy demand.

A demand that will increase considerably over the next two decades 

,” reports the newspaper

Efecto Cocuyo

.

Colombia: Gustavo Petro announces regional dialogue

In Colombia, the new left-wing president gave his first address to the nation yesterday.

Thirty days after coming to power, “ 

Gustavo Petro announced on Wednesday the launch of a major regional dialogue

 ,” headlines

El Tiempo

.

And he invited " 

every citizen to participate

 ".

All members of his government will travel to 50 strategic areas of the national territory to listen to Colombians.

“ 

From today, you have the floor and we are here to listen to you

 ,” promised Gustavo Petro.

The objective of this dialogue in the Colombian regions is the drafting of a major national development plan which, according to the wishes of the Head of State, will result in a law which will serve as a roadmap for his government. .

A project described as “ 

very ambitious

 ” by the weekly

Semana

.

El Pais

believes that the project of “ 

decentralization à la Gustavo Petro recalls that of the conservative ex-president Álvaro Uribe, his great political enemy.

In his time, Uribe had created community councils which made him very popular.

Every weekend, he traveled to a different region of the country with his officials

 , ”recalls the newspaper.

But the long-awaited decentralization does not

Chile: after the no in the referendum on the new Constitution, the process to break the impasse is stalled

“ 

A new meeting which should be held this Thursday with all the political parties elected to the Chilean parliament has been postponed

 ” announces

La Tercera

which continues: “ 

The day before, the center-right parties grouped within the Chile Vamos coalition had decided to withdraw from the meeting and demanded that the government not participate in the dialogue.

 However, the presidents of the two chambers of the Chilean Parliament believe that only a negotiation between all the parties elected to Congress will make it possible to decide on a new constitutional process.

The meeting was therefore postponed to next week to “ 

recreate a climate of trust between all the participants

 ”.

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  • Newspaper

  • Venezuela

  • Colombia

  • Chile

  • Oil

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