VENEZUELA
learns to diversify after turbulent political times











Interview with Mr. D. De Lima
Read our exclusive interview

THE STATE OF ANZOATEGUI
In the Sunshine Route

Mr. David De Lima,
Govenor

Contact:
Gobernacion del Estado Anzoategui
Despacho de Gobernación
Palacio de Los Jardines( Piso 4), Ave 5 Julio,
Barcelona, Anzoategui.
Tel: 0281-270 1404
Fax: 0281-2751 671
Website: www.anzoategui.com.ve

ANZOATEGUI

Although Barcelona is located in front of a calm bay with the same name, the best beaches of the zone are found a bit more to the east. Just 15 minutes away is Puerto La Cruz, which at the turn of the century was a small beach resort that became a city as its port of Guanta was developed in order to export the oil coming from the southern oilfields.

Today its limits merge with Barcelona's and it is the centerpiece of modern tourist and business activity. Its Paseo Colon is the home of the color, music and happiness connected with tropical climates and beaches.

Tourist complexes of Puerto la Cruz with their hotels and apartments buildings and the marinas of El Morro, attract visitors from all parts of the country and the world. Many of the elegant villas and apartments buildings are connected through a net of canals meant for motorboat access. A bit south of the port of Guanta there is a spectacular waterfall and pools of fresh water to bathe in at La Sirena Park that protects a lovely stream flowing down toward the sea.

Just three hours of navigation to the northeast is la Tortuga Island with its binding white beaches and waters with incredible blue and green tones, highly favored for practicing scuba diving and snorkeling.

Mochima National Park is the most spectacular marine site of eastern Venezuela. For those who love nature, this incredible park provides infinite beauty in its waters and indented coast and striking views from its upper area that overlooks the sea. Its marine area has vegetation that varies between sea-grass and mangroves and is famous for an amazing chain of bays, coves, inlets, and islands that attract sun and nature lovers. In olden times, it was a choice site for pirates and contrabandist to hide and rest. The continental area close to the sea is covered by different types of thorn bushes and other varieties of plants common to the tropical dry forest, but those who take the time to go up into the mountainous zone find another type of vegetation that belongs to the mountain cloud forest, where the misty evergreen forest of the Turimiquire massif are located. This area has important natural resources and vital fountainheads that are strategic for the well-being of the northeast region.

The park is also in wildlife such as birds, reptiles and mammals that roam a territory that extends from sea level to the top of the mountain peaks. If you are a birdwatcher, photographer, or simply a nature lover, Mochima is a must during a trip to Venezuela's eastern coast.

From Puerto la Cruz you can visit some of the most beautiful bays, coves and islands of Venezuela like Pozuelos, Bergantin, Guanta, Pertigalete and Conoma situated in waters around the part of Mochima National Park, extending front of the city. There are many beaches in the bays and islands in this area. One of the best known is Isla de Plata which can be easily reached from a nearby dock area. Other islands like Chimanas, Borrachas, Caracas, Monos, Las Maritas and Playa Blanca, can be reached by sea from Puerto La Cruz. Some of these beaches have basic facilities: kiosks and small restaurants for food, awnings for sun protection and decent dock areas, though there is a lack of bathroom facilities. Other beaches are wilder, like leautiful Manare, found in a small bay flanked by high limestone escarpments. There are no facilities here. From Puerto La Cruz, it is easy to reach other famous eastern beaches like Playa Colorada, Arapo and Arapito in Sucre State.

One of the best side trips take drivers further to the east, following the road that leads to Cumana, along what seems a never-ending chain of beaches, gulfs, and gem-like inlets encrusted in the rocky coasts. Such is the case of Golfo de Santa Fe, where you find a small town alongside tranquil waters. It used to be a "rancheria" for fishermen. For many years, this beautiful and peaceful scenery has been attracting a great number of visitors, while some inns and holiday bungalows are being built. Driving up the road that winds around the mountain south of the gulf, you reach the Altos de Santa Fe, an area with natural lookout points and a cooler climate. Visitors are often surrounded by mist, but from its higher points, you can appreciate the breathtaking scenes of coast and islands.



The village of Mochima, set among the unique environment of Mochima National Park, is perhaps the most spectacular marine site of eastern Venezuela. Residents of this village have organized transportation services for visitors. They can take you distant beaches in motorboats and see that you have all the food, water, and other items needed for camping.

The overpowering beauty of the coast makes it easy to forget that Anzoategui also has immense plains that extend toward the south until they reach the barrier of the Orinoco River. Moving south into the plains, you find attractive landscapes such as the extensive and fertile mesas de Guanipa and Urica.

Close to the town of San Lorenzo, on the road that leads from Piritu to Aragua de Barcelona, you find the ruins of an unfinished temple that curiously shows the only known attempt of the country's colonial religious architecture to build a circular ground plan.

Toward the east, close to the limits with Monagas State, you can visit the tomb of Jose Tomas Boves in the village of Urica. This notorious and cruel leader of the royal forces was killed during a battle in this locality, bringing to an end one of the bloodiest and most savage periods of the fourteen-year independence struggle.

In its southern limit, Anzoategui shares with Bolivar state the honor of sustaining the Angostura Bridge. This bridge is the gateway to the Guyana region, and its aerial structure, similar to the Golden Gate of San Francisco, sweeps across the narrowest point of the Orinoco's mighty flow.

Habitants Population

As in any region influenced by busy ports, northern Anzoategui inhabitants are a mix of descendants of Spanish adventures and colonist, Corsican immigrants and other people from different parts of the world that established themselves there as merchants, farmers, builders or artisans. The character of the coasts inhabitants is boisterous and extroverted. As you travel toward the south you signs of Indians heritage in the people who are often descendents of the Kariña tribe, direct decedents of the legendary Caribs. You can also find groups of the Pemon and Yekuana tribes that have immigrated from Bolivar State.

The tourism boom between Boca de Uchire and Puerto La Cruz has generated an important immigration of business to the area. That element together with the year round transit of vacationers has given a cosmopolitan air to the cities of Barcelona and Puerto la Cruz, where you can appreciate a rich variety of races and accents.

Fiestas

Typical festivities make up a colorful variety of Indian, Creole, old-time and modern traditions. The Catholic calendar of saints' days gives life to devotional holidays like the Esputon - a celebration dedicated to Jesus, Mary and Joseph-that takes place the 1st, 2nd, 7th and 8th of January. February 2nd marks the festivity of the Virgen de la Candelaria and the celebrations of the Cruz de Mayo take place from the 3rd of that month. All Oriente is home to the veneration of the Virgen del Valle, patroness of fishermen. Her day on September 8th is a stirring moment with a sea procession carrying her image in many of the port cities. Every December 24th, in the village of Caigua, the people celebrate the return of the Niño Pascual (the Christmas Child). Between the months of December, January and February, many towns celebrate holidays known as Diversiones Orientales. These are made up of comparsas, dance groups that take to the streets to dramatize, with music and theater, actual happenings based on a central character. The musicians accompany the comparsas with various melodies; costumes and masks are quite colorful. The sight of the chosen character being carried by a dancer on his shoulders is a very amusing one. The traditional joropo venezolano, Venezuela's national dance, has a unique variation in this region. It is called the Joropo Oriental and is recognized as an elegant dance in which the performers do not strike the floor with their feet as in the national dance.

In the center and southern part of the state the Kariña Indians celebrate the Akaatompo, to honor heir dead ancestors who come to visit their relatives. There they dance the Maremare, with musical instruments-ankle jinglers and maracas-made with seeds and other natural elements.

Puerto La Cruz has fostered Mardi Gras entertainment, in which the local community shares with Venezuelan and foreign visitors the din and merriment of this celebration.

Outdoor Activities

The area around the Morro de Barcelona and Puerto La Cruz attracts lovers of boating and sailing. Sailors from abroad take advantage of the local marine facilities to enjoy the coast's natural beauties. In Mochima National Park, scuba divers find excellent underwater areas with coral reefs and rock bottoms, while in the mild seawaters many types of marine species like dolphins, whales, sharks and even manta rays are visible.

General information

Anzoategui State is part of the northeast region of Venezuela. Its 16,887 sq. miles make it the 6th largest state of the nation, while its more than 860,000 inhabitants make it the 8th most populated. Among its varied ecosystems, the most interesting are its 78 miles of Caribbean coast n the north and 223 miles along the banks of the Orinoco in the south.

Climate

Being in a tropical milieu, Anzoategui's temperature changes according to the altitude. At sea level the air is hot and the sun is radiant, just like center and southern plains. To the northeast, at the end heights of the Turimique Massif, temperature drops as you ascend the mountain and while driving along the crest, mist is often a faithful companion. Rains are frequent in the mountain region from May to October, but on the coast there is much less precipitation.

Lodging

Anzoategui has an ample variety of lodging that goes from modest inns to modern beach palaces. In the area around Puerto La Cruz and the Morro de Barcelona are found some of the most exclusive hotels like the Golden Rainbow Mare-Mare Resort and the Hotel Hesperia, and you shouldn't forget the Cristina Suites, Rasil, Doral Beach and Punta Palma, among others. On the outskirts of Barcelona, heading south, Hotel hato Nuevo offers a rural ambiance with modern installations.

Transportation

The State is served by Barcelona's Airport "Jose Antono Anzoategui", with daily flights to and from the main cities of the country. The highway "Troncal Nº 9" makes communication rapid and fluent between this state and the rest of the country, and is used by many public transportation companies. Vast numbers of visitors head toward Margarita island through Puerto la Cruz's ferryboat terminal. The older ferries take about 4 hours to get to the island; faster ships get you there in just a couple of hours.

Restaurants

A lively business and trade, especially in Puerto La Cruz, has encouraged the establishment of eating spots that range from open-air soda fountains to haute cuisine restaurants; the gastronomic offer is varied and mixes Creole dishes, international cuisine and fast food. Along the highways, you can often make a stop to savor cachapas, fresh fried fish, empanadas and fresh coconut milk.

Shopping centers and side trips

Cars or boats can reach Centro Comercial Plaza Mayor in the Morro de Barcelona. There are other shopping malls in Lecherias, like Forum Plaza, El Faro, Morro Mar, Caribbean Center and Coconut Center, among others. A large variety of travel agencies and tour operators offer visitors a wide array of choices when looking for an excursion to Mochima, La Gran Sabana and other destinies.

Anzoategui: in the Sunshine Route



Anzoategui State covers a vast region that runs from the northern coasts on the Caribbean Sea to the banks of the Orinoco River to the south. It is fascinating and prodigious territory, offering some of the most lovely beaches of Venezuela's Orient, a dynamic oil industry that includes points of exploitation, refinement and exportation, and traditions that have taken root and grown throughout its history. The state's name honors Jose Antonio Anzoategui, one of Venezuela's eminent military leaders during the Independence War, whose name is linked with Barcelona and memories of colonial times. Set between such opposites as the Caribbean and the Orinoco, tourism and oil industries, history, and future, this incredible Venezuelan region is an enclave of contrasts.

Isla el arepo

For the pleasure of nature lovers, a wonderful world of ecosystems has fascinated both foreign and locals since the place was first populated, It runs between Barcelona and Puerto La Cruz and then goes east into Sucre State. This is the ecstatically beautiful Mochima Park with its innumerable bays, coves, islands, and beaches that beckons all to come and enjoy its waters and byways.

Barcelona, the state's capital, represents traditions recently unsettled by the industrial force of the oil industry cryogenic facilities and by the growth of the tourism industry along the coast. Since 1970, inspired by the beauty of the coastal area, visionary entrepreneurs have developed a giant tourist complex close to a seaside promontory known as El Morro. From the outskirts of Barcelona, projects based on the idea of recreation and pleasures were soon extended to the eastern side of El Morro. There, Puerto La Cruz began its advance to its contemporary status, which has given a new profile to the small idyllic seafront of olden times. Toward the south of this city the extensive campus of the Universidad de Oriente (UDO), where great numbers of today's generation get prepared for the future, makes up the third point of a triad that defines the futuristic focus of the region: education, tourism and the oil industry.

As you drive through the state, historic, archaeological and architectonic monuments are found interwoven with a variety of ecosystems showing an astonishing parade of flora and fauna. Landscapes are characteristically tropical and memorable, their image remaining in one's mind as souvenirs of an amazing land combining beauty and natural riches. Coral reefs, windswept island beaches, mangrove swamps, tropical dry forest, and plains that extend beyond the horizon are as much part of the scenery as the oil ports. Driving through the western llanos or up into the Turimiquire Massif to see their sights and wildlife, becomes a preamble to discovering the innumerable natural riches of the Orinoco River.

Spread along this changing landscape, the state's inhabitants work eagerly to build a better life in modern times, but continue to nurture fascinating festivals, holidays and folk traditions from their cultural and historical heritage.

Anzoategui's riches

Anzoategui shares the Orinoco oil belt with Monagas State, where locations are explored and exploited in harmony with the surrounding environment. From its coasts, by means of the port of Guanta, Venezuela exports considerable volumes of oil to the Americas, Europe and Asia. Barcelona, Anzoategui's capital, has maintained an aura of a simple, calm life interlaced with traditional customs. Its downtown architecture's colonial features echo its reverence for the past.
Meanwhile, Puerto La Cruz, Barcelona's immediate neighbor, has become a tropical tourist attraction, full of high-rise apartments, beach houses and recreational facilities for those who want to enjoy the Caribbean sun and rhythms. Because the Ferry Terminal is in Puerto La Cruz, Anzoategui is also an important as the principal hop-off point to get to Margarita, Venezuela's best-developed Caribbean island.

Mochima National Park, one of the most beautiful coastal parks of Venezuela, begins on the coast in front of Puerto La Cruz. It extends into Sucre State and has important continental area. This incredibly beautiful scenario has numerous pirate coves, sandy beaches and rocky promontories where you can find examples of different types of tropical coast ecosystems such as coral reefs, mangrove swamps and fishing coves. Although Mochima is best known as a coastal marine park because of the beauty of its beaches and coasts, it also covers a large land area of the Turimiquire Massif and the main water reservoir of the northeastern region, which comes under its protection.

Landscape

The north coast of Anzoategui stretches from the pale sand beaches and coconut groves that it shares with Barlovento, to the rugged, rocky headlands of Mochima National Park to the east. Besides the numerous beaches along the coast, there are also lovely stretches of sandy shores on the islands of Mochima National Park and on the islets of Piritu.

Further out to the sea, heading northeast, La Tortuga island has become apart of Anzoategui because of the many visitors who sail out from Puerto La Cruz.

Between Boca de Uchire and Puerto Piritu, the Unare Depresión is a well-defined geographical milestone that ends at the coast with a beautiful coastal lagoon under the same name.

To the east, the tropical forest protecting the Turimiquire Massif comprise a forest preserve that safeguards the water springs supplying the needs of the northeast region and margarita Island. Toward the center and south of the state are extensive and fertile mesetas like Guanipa and Urica, among the best agricultural fields of the nation. Going south, at the banks of the Orinoco, the small town of Soledad nestles among some riverside hills facing Ciudad Bolivar. Nearby Soledad, the majestic Angostura Bridge welcomes you to the Guayana region.

Wildlife

The flora and fauna of Anzoategui are varies as its landscape. The marine area offers variety of fish like sardine, jack, snapper and kingfish that have traditionally provided the means of subsistence for the coastal population. Beautiful species of marine life like parrotfish, angelfish, and morays, together with anemones and tiny shrimps are typical of its coral reefs. Sea dolphins often accompany visitors on boat and ferry rides, and sometimes you can sight small whales, known locally as ballenatos, that swim occasionally in the waters off the coast. Marine birds like pelicans, boobies and the vivid and rare-billed tropicbirds feed in the rich waters of Mochima and find safe places for nesting on its rocky coast. Tropical dry forest, with its spiny bushes, is the rule in this zone, except in mangrove swamps found along Mochima and in the gulf of Santa Fe. Toward the center of the state, on the savannas and tablelands, you find wildlife typical of the western llanos: nine-banded armadillos, whit-tailed deer, cottontail rabbits, snakes and lizards, among others. The Turimiquire Massif, at the eastern limits of the state, shelters a great variety of animals and birds that take refuge in its dense evergreen forests. There you find agoutis, anteaters and giant armadillo, known locally as cuspon. The rich waters of the Orinoco separating the plains from the Guayana Shield harbor fish like peacock bass and cachama, and enormous and succulent species of river catfish like lau-lau and rayado. Pink river dolphins and gray dolphins, freshwater species native to that great river, are often sighted as their shiny backs slip through the surface water of the Orinoco and some of its tributaries.

History

The first inhabitants of the region, Indians of the Crib family, populated all the north of South America. The groups established in Venezuela's actual territory bravely resisted the Spanish conquest of the 16th and 17th centuries, which elapsed between the violence of slave-hunting soldiers and the pacific evangelization. At the ending of the 18th century, Europeans believed that all Carib Indians had disappeared from these lands, but when Baron Alexander von Humbolt and his botanist friend, Aime Bonpland, arrived at Piritu during their visit to northeastern Venezuela, the found Caribs inhabiting the mission. A physical description of the tribal members and their diverse abilities were noted in the scientist' writings. Eastern Venezuela's involvement in Independence War was crucial. It is known for its inhabitants fierce resistance to royal forces. Many violent and vicious encounters took place here, but the people never yielded and gradually formed a stronghold against the Spanish army. Finally joined with other provinces to established a new sovereign nation: the Republic of Venezuela. Besides the independence leader, Jose Antonio Anzoategui, many other famous men and women were native to his land, such as the scientist, Juan Manuel Cajigal; the writer, Miguel Otero Silva; and the independence heroine, Eulalia Buroz.

INTERESTING PLACES TO VISIT

Anzoategui has some 61 historical monuments and urban sites of interest, a product of intense economic and social activity during colonial, independence and republican times. There are also about 40 archaeological sites, generally found on the coast, where you find numerous traces of work areas where marine shells were transformed into tools, weapons and ornaments.

The Highway that goes along Anzoategui's coast from west to east-the Troncal 9, also called La ruta del Sol-takes visitors to many of the state's highlights. The Laguna de Unare is twin to the Laguna de Piritu. In their waters, visitors can watch the winged spectacle o flamingos, herons, cormorants and other water birds that alternate their hunt for food with fishermen and their rounded nets as they capture shrimps and mullets. The closest towns, Boca de Uchire and El Hatillo, have a great number of inns and houses for vacationers who come to enjoy beach life, bask in the sun's splendors and contemplate the dramatic sunsets reflected in the sea and lake waters.

Further east we can find the town of Clarines, with its impressive mission church of San Antonio de Padua, built as a temple-fortress in the 17th century when attacks by Caribs and pirates were constant threat. Clarines also has a Historical Museum, set in a typical house of 1860. When the road reaches Piritu, most travelers head to the village just to visit the first mission of the colonial period in the eastern Venezuela. Today's standing church was built in 1745, and is dedicated to Nuestra Señora de la Concepcion. The building stands out as a solid, white structure set against a background of rugged hills. It is still in use and has fine colonial gilt wooden altarpiece of great beauty and artistic value, which has a great religious meaning in the eyes of parishioners. The churches of Clarines and Piritu are both protected as national historic monuments.

On the coast beyond Piritu's mission church, you find the town of Puerto Piritu, stretching along the long sandy beaches of the coast typical of the Unare depression. Here you can find many apartments buildings and hotels that cater to the tourist trade and offer excellent living facilities alongside beautiful and serene beaches. Out to sea, a bit to the north, are the isletas de Piritu, which can be reached within 40 minutes sail from Puerto Piritu. These islands offer only natural beaches, with no tourist facilities and are a preferred spot for those who enjoy the solitude of wide-open spaces. Continuing to the east, travelers are surprised by a structure that looks like an Asian temple, the Shrine of Cristo de Jose, built to harbor an image believed to have miraculous powers that was found by fishermen in a nearby lagoon.

Returning to land and following the Ruta del Sol to the east, you arrive at Barcelona, the state capital, with a rich historical background that began with its foundation by the Catalonian, Juan de Orpin, in 1636. Some signs of its colonial past still exist, like the Historic Quater, where old colonial houses with their high barred windows are still common. Its cathedral, dedicated to Saint Chritopher, was built sometime before mid-18th century. Close by is the Hermitage of El Carmen, whose three domes rise majestically over the red-tiled roofs of the city's historical area. Perhaps the image that speaks most clearly of the city's heroic past is the well-known Casa Fuerte, today in ruins. This building, the former convent of San Francisco, was later modified as a fortress to support Venezuela's liberation campaign. In April 1817, it became the city's stronghold during a bloody, savage attack by forces loyal to the King. Today its remains are kept as a monument to the besieged patriot soldiers, men, women and children, who perished inside its walls, defending freedom's ideals for a new Republic.

PUERTO LA CRUZ

A Gateway to Adventure in Venezuela



Puerto La Cruz was once a quiet little fishing village. Now due to it's thriving tourist and nearby petroleum industry, it has a population of over one million. It's popularity is easy to understand.

Primarily it is ideally situated as a base to explore Mochima National Park, to head south to the Orinoco Delta, Gran Sabana or Amazona, or eastward along the coast via Cumana to Caripe and the "garden of the east" itself.

There are regular ferries to and from Margarita, and sailing boats for charter, ready to take you to Isla Tortuga or Los Roques for a relaxing long weekend. Only 12 km away the airport of Barcelona offers flights to Caracas and other more exotic destinations within the country.

The crafts shops, discothèques and pleasant restaurants (a superb variety in Lecheria), are a useful distraction for the day or two it may take you to decide upon the many options available. The seafront is awash with cut price hammocks, jewelry and other ethnic goodies such as the distinctive sounding "cuatro" guitar. At night there is a surprising attractive range of nightspots to suit student, family, older or even romantic tastes with jazz music, traditional salsa and even pumping techno on offer.

By day you can take your pick from the tour companies jostling for trade, either by foot or via one of the ever increasing number of Internet cafes. Local fishermen line the beach in front of the Paseo Colon ready to take tourists to the islands of Mochima National Park in wooden "Peñeros". Here you can explore the idyllic islands of Chimana, la Plata or Arapo and enjoy fresh seafood, beach bars, resplendent sands and coral reefs. On the islands thatched shelters can be hired to relax or eat under after snorkeling, diving or iguana spotting.

Dolphins are often the highlight of the day, as they come out to revel in the surf from passing boats.

It would however be a shame to miss the stunning coastal views from Puerto la Cruz along a winding road to the villages of Mochima via Playa Blanca, Santa Fe and Playa Colorada with it's striking red sands. These charming fishing villages boast friendly locals, idyllic beaches and a range of guest houses to suit all tastes. Many prefer to use one of these as a base for a day trips followed by an evening spent dining and dancing under the stars in a more local and relaxed environment.

If we continue eastwards we can picnic by secluded waterfalls, enjoy natural thermal springs, mud baths, or visit the oldest Hispanic city on the South American mainland, Cumana. This is a fascinating colonial town seeped in culture. There are museums, churches, the lovingly restored home of poet/politician Andres Eloy Blanco and Los Uveros beach, at 3 km long the largest public beach in Venezuela.

The hills and coastline are dotted with little settlements specializing in different arts and crafts, a winding passage which takes us to Caripe with its famous Cueva del Guacharro or oil bird. This is one of the largest cave systems in the world with guided tours delving into its spooky 10 km depths. Nearby there are haciendas featuring horse riding, coffee plantations, an almost mystical abundance of flora, fauna, orchards, papaya plantations, orange groves and quite possibly the friendliest folk in the country.

All in all a remarkably refreshing mixture of activities available before heading south to the Delta Orinoco's sultry steaming jungle or the mysterious ambience of the Gran Sabbana.

SPORTS FISHING

The Association A.P.D.A.



Trolling has become the most popular way to fish in the north region of Venezuela. This type of fishing is performed in the deep sea using the trolling technique. While keeping the boat going slowly, to bait is pulled in the water to simulate that the bait is alive This deceives the fish and makes them approach. The bait can be either natural or artificial. The main target of this type of fishing is the Swordfish. It is called this because of the long sword-like bone that extends form its nose and its skin that looks like a kind of amour. But the Swordfish is just one of the targets.

There is also the Blue Marlin, the White Marlin and the Sailfish. The Sailfish looks a lot like the Blue Marlin and is the most difficult fish to catch of them all. For the reason it has received the name: "The Queen of the Sea". The Swordfish puts up a tough fight, when it is caught. It makes spectacular jumps from the water, filled with emotion, and every fish has its own unique character and different way of fighting.

In this area of the country we have the "Sport fishers Association" of the state of Anzoategui. This association was created by a group of people who were fanatics of this sport. The association is free to join and be member of. It has now existed for over a quarter of a century. The A.P.D.A. as it is called arranges over 10 tournaments a year with more and more persons competing. Every year more and more people join in. You do not need to have great experience to be part of this association.

Many of those who were inducted recently were persons who had just learned to fish and out of curiosity or by recommendations from a friend, decide to become a member of our big family. If you are interested, you can communicate with: polomakaira@hotmail.com

THE INDUSTRY

The north region of the country today has the best potential for tourism, commercialism. The petrol-and the petrol-chemical companies are a great part of the industry and represent a huge economic importance for the country. Puerto La Cruz has become the best option in Venezuela tourism and the business and popularity are growing fast.

THINK ABOUT IT…

Nature is the most precious legacy we have. In fact, there is no life without it. Sometimes we seem to forget that. Something so simple and yet so great. With its creative stregth its incalculable manifestations, it shows the most wonderful and varied colours and forms, telling us the huge power that originates it. No doubt about it, nature is the greatest power that we know of, but yet so fragile. Like a flower, like a child's breath; its balance depends on mechanism so delicate such as those in microprocessors and laser systems.

We seem to forget that, and doing so, we lose the respect that she deserves. Respect and love our mother, it would be such a pity calling her "mother nature" in vain.

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© World INvestment NEws, 2002.
This is the electronic edition of the special country report on Venezuela published in Forbes Global Magazine.
April 2002 Issue.
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