7-14-08, 3:35 pm

MARACAIBO, Venezuela.— Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez presented the Declaration of the Fifth Petrocaribe Extraordinary Summit at the gathering’s final work session on Sunday, calling the organization an 'anti-crisis and anti-hunger shield.'

Included in the declaration is Cuba and Venezuela’s offer to lend their experience in the Energy Revolution program to member countries to help them create measures and policies that contribute to energy savings and conservation.

The declaration states that the grouping is a 'true and effective integration mechanism of economic, social and political cooperation based on the principles of solidarity, complementarity and respect for sovereignty and self-determination of the peoples.'

The heads of State and Government also agreed to create a Petrocaribe Council of Agriculture Ministers that will focus on food production and a fund 'with contributions equal to US$ 0.5 of each barrel exported outside the cooperation agreements by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela which is quoted above US$ 100. This Fund will be used to finance agro food initiatives in member countries in order for them to achieve food security.'

In his closing remarks, Chavez thanked participants for their 'willingness to continue building this space, our Petrocaribe to take on the challenges in front of us.' Chavez and other regional leaders also had very kind words for Fidel Castro and Cuba for their 'active and effective collaboration with all Latin American and Caribbean countries and for their valuable contribution to the development of new cooperation initiatives such as the ALBA and Petrocaribe.

Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage Davila represented the island at the gathering and expressed Cuba’s commitment to the organization.

The meeting also approved Guatemala as a Petrocaribe member country and agreed to hold the sixth and seventh Summits of Heads of State and/or Government of Petrocaribe in St. Kitts and Nevis and Belize, respectively.