MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chavez expected in Buenos Aires and Mercosur summit

Venezuela's president Hugo Chavez has confirmed he will be in Buenos Aires for next Monday's taking office ceremony of elected Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and a week later he will be back in the River Plate but in Montevideo for the Mercosur presidential summit.

Chavez is expected Sunday in Argentina to sign his brainchild, the creation of the Bank of the South, the South American financial institution that will help fund development and infrastructure projects in the region acting as an alternative to the more traditional World Bank and Inter American Development Bank. The news was announced in Venezuela's official television channel. However Chavez agenda, so far, does not include an interview with incoming president Cristina Kirchner, although he will be meeting outgoing president Nestor Kirchner. A "friends meeting" has been scheduled with Kirchner after he leaves Casa Rosada to talk about politics and share a barbecue, according to Argentine diplomatic sources. Mr. Chavez also had to turn down plans to participate in a political rally with Hebe de Bonafini, leader of the "Mothers of Plaza de Mayo", an outspoken advocate of human rights and a close ally of the Kirchners in their struggle to take to court all those former military and police officers involved in "crimes against humanity" during the Argentine military regimes. "For protocol reasons Mr Chavez had to be taken out of other activities not related to the presidential ceremony" because it's not compatible to participate in other activities when the invitation was extended "for an official Argentine government event". If this is confirmed it would mean a significant change in protocol since President Chavez normally actively participates of political rallies in visiting countries to promote his Bolivarian vision and XXI century Socialism project. A project which last Sunday was defeated in a close referendum in Venezuela, the first (out of nine) vote Mr. Chavez looses since taking office in 1999. Miraflores Palace in Caracas also confirmed that President Chavez will be visiting Montevideo on December 17/18 for the Mercosur presidential summit, when the rotating chair of the trade block will be passed for the first half of 2008 to Argentina.