Venezuela and Greece strengthen partnerships

Venezuela's foreign minister Delcy Rodriguez (right) and Greece's foreign minister Nikos Kotzias. Photo: MPPRE.

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March 7, 2015 -- TeleSUR English, posted at Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal -- Venezuela has proposed trade and economic agreements that would make Athens one of Caracas' main trading partners. Venezuela and Greece solidified their bilateral partnership this week, when Venezuelan officials visited the Mediterranean country to meet the new SYRIZA government.

Venezuela's minister of foreign relations Delcy Rodriguez met with the new Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras on March 6, who said that solidifying the relationship between the two countries would mutually benefit the Greek and Venezuelan people.

The two parties discussed furthering a number of cooperation agreements, particularly in the fields of technology, industry, trade, shipping, energy, commerce and tourism. They were also joined by Greek foreign minister Nikos Kotzia and the Venezuela's ambassador to Greece Farid Fernández in the discussions.

With the new proposed economic projects and trade agreements, Athens would become one of the South American nation's main trading partners in Europe.

Caracas is eager to further relations with Greece and its new left-wing, anti-austerity government, which is currently struggling with an enormous debt and battling Eurozone creditors and their imposed austerity regulations. The South American nation has a particular soft spot for countries that are fighting for their sovereignty, since Venezuela is itself battling the efforts of United States-backed right-wing movements to undermine the country economically and politically.

After the meetings, Tsipras expressed his hope that next time Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro would be among the visiting delegates.