Chavez says pipeline will create one million jobs

[I love the unity and breaking free of US ties with this pipeline, but I say that without having investigated the environmental impact of this pipeline]
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São Paulo - The construction of what is being called the Great Southern Gas Pipeline (Grande Gasoduto do Sul), linking Venezuela-Brasil-Argentina, will create a million jobs, says the president of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, following meetings with presidents Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Néstor Kirchner, of Argentina, in São Paulo, yesterday.

Chavez enthusiastically declared that the pipeline will be built. "We will have our gas pipeline... Venezuela has 5% of the world's petroleum reserves and 80% of the natural gas in South America," he added. [translator's note: Venezuela has proven reserves of 75 billion barrels of petroleum and 4.2 trillion cubic meters of natural gas].

Chavez went on to say the pipeline was an essential element in the region's independence and development. He said he was officially inviting all the nations of South America to join the project.

A very important member of any project integrating South American energy resources is Bolivia, which already has a gas pipeline linking it with Brazil [Bolivia has proven petroleum reserves of 460 million barrels and 680 billion cubic meters of natural gas]. Chavez declared that he has a scheduled meeting with the president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, on Saturday, April 29, when he will discuss the matter with him. "The presence of Bolivia is a priority. They have the second biggest reserves of oil and gas in South America," said Chavez.

Translation: Allen Bennett