Venezuela gets $36 bn in oil investment from Russia, China

September 30th, 2009 Venezuela exploring uranium deposits with RussiaPORLAMAR, Venezuela — Venezuela's science and technology minister said his country is working with Russia to detect deposits of uranium but withdrew an earlier denial that the country was also working with Iran. Jesse Chacon originally denied the reports that Venezuela is receiving support from Iran to seek uranium, but clarified later Saturday that his comments were only in regard to Russia and that exploration efforts with Iran fall under the direction of Venezuela's Mining Ministry.

September 29th, 2009 BEIJING - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will visit China Oct 12-14 to meet Chinese leaders and attend a Central Asian security summit, China's foreign ministry said Tuesday. Putin's visit was timed to coincide with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, and with a council of heads of government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu told reporters.

September 25th, 2009 20-year-old brunette wins Miss VenezuelaCARACAS, Venezuela — Marelisa Gibson, a 20-year-old brunette, has been crowned Miss Venezuela and will represent the beauty-obsessed South American country at next year's Miss Universe pageant. The annual Miss Venezuela pageant is the one of Venezuela's most watched programs and a source of national pride.

September 13th, 2009 CARACAS - Venezuela and Russia have completed negotiations for joint production from one of the fields in the oil-rich Orinoco Belt, Venezuelan state-owned oil giant PDVSA said. The Junin 6 Block will have an estimated "base production level of between 400 and 450,000 barrels of extra-heavy crude," PDVSA said.

September 13th, 2009 Venezuela gets $2.2B in credit for Russian armsCARACAS, Venezuela — Russia has opened a $2.2 billion line of credit for Venezuela to purchase weapons including armored vehicles and surface-to-air missiles, President Hugo Chavez said Sunday. Venezuela is buying more arms because it feels threatened by Colombia's decision to give U.S.

September 11th, 2009 Chavez: Venezuela to get rockets from RussiaCARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says he has signed military agreements with Russia and is soon expecting the arrival of some "little rockets." Chavez says the rockets reach up to 186 miles (300 kilometers) and are strictly for defense purposes. Chavez returned Friday from a world tour including a visit to Russia, where he met with President Dmitry Medvedev.

September 10th, 2009 MOSCOW - Russia and Venezuela signed Thursday a package of deals, including one to develop the Latin American country's Orinoco oil belt, with estimated reserves of 235 billion barrels of heavy oil. Venezuela's PdVSA state oil firm and a consortium of major Russian producers signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in Orinoco, and a separate memo on establishing a joint venture to develop the Junin-6 field.

September 2nd, 2009 China to buy $50 billion of first IMF bondsBEIJING — China has agreed to buy $50 billion of the International Monetary Fund's first bond issue in a move that will help to strengthen the body's lending ability and diversify Beijing's foreign holdings. The agreement announced Wednesday by the Washington-based IMF comes as the body tries to raise money to finance lending, especially to developing countries, to help economies weather the global downturn.

August 16th, 2009 Chavez: Venezuela to strengthen ties with alliesCARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez says Venezuela's ties with nations like Russia and China have gained importance as the U.S. moves to expand its military presence in Latin America.

August 5th, 2009 Chavez: Venezuela to buy more tanksCARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez says his government plans to buy dozens of tanks because Venezuela feels threatened by pending deal to increase the U.S. military presence in Colombia.

July 31st, 2009 CARACAS - Venezuela and China signed a $7.5 billion agreement Thursday that includes the construction of a 468-km railway in the country with Chinese support, officials said. Public Works Minister Diosdado Cabello told reporters that the railway - which will run from the town of Tinaco, in the northwestern state of Cojedes, to Anaco, a city in the northeastern state of Anzoategui - is the biggest project Venezuela is undertaking outside of the oil industry.

July 16th, 2009 Foreign investment in Myanmar soarsYANGON, Myanmar — Foreign investment in Myanmar swelled sixfold to almost $1 billion in the last fiscal year, most of it coming from China, according to government statistics seen Thursday. A Ministry of National Planning and Development statistical survey showed that foreign investment jumped to $984.9 million in the fiscal year that ended in March 2009 from $172.7 million the previous year.

June 28th, 2009 Chavez to US general: You're the threat, not usCARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez says a U.S. general shouldn't be raising concerns that Venezuela is buying arms, and the American commander is wrong to argue there isn't a "conventional military threat in the region." Chavez says the U.S.

June 16th, 2009 Russia may put some reserves in BRIC bondsYEKATERINBURG, Russia — The Kremlin's top economic adviser says Russia may put part of its currency reserves in bonds issued by Brazil, China and India. Arkady Dvorkovich says Russia could make the move if the other three nations reciprocate.

May 8th, 2009 Venezuela to pay Ternium $1.97 billion for SidorCARACAS, Venezuela — Ternium SA has agreed to sell its 59.7 percent share in steel maker Sidor to Venezuela for $1.97 billion. The subsidiary of the Argentine-Italian conglomerate Techint has been locked in negotiations over a payment plan with Venezuelan authorities since last year.