Venezuelan vice minister impressed with Bernama...

Venezuelan Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs for Asia, the Middle East and Oceania, Ruben Dario Molina is impressed with Bernama, saying he would suggest to the Venezuelan media to establish contact with the Malaysian National News Agency.

“Ï am happy to be here to know what Bernama is and to know about the NAM News Network (NNN),” he said during a visit to Wisma Bernama here today.

Molina, accompanied by Venezuela’s Ambassador to Malaysia, Manuel Guzman, was briefed by Bernama’s Deputy Editor in-Chief (International News Service) Ahmad Zukiman Zain. Also present was Executive Editor (International News Service) Ahmad Fuad Yahya.

Molina is the Venezuelan senior official in charge of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) issues and had requested to visit NNN office, located on the 15th floor of Wisma Bernama, as Venezuela currently holds the NAM Presidency.

The NNN news portal came into operation in 2007 as Malaysia’s commitment to the 120-member Non-Aligned Group of Nations.

It is managed by Bernama as an alternative source for NAM member countries “to tell their story and use it as a channel of communication for them”.

Molina wants to explore more cooperation involving the Venezuela-based media outlets, the news channel TeleSUR and the international radio network named The Radio of the South and Bernama.

He said he would discuss with the Telesur president on possible cooperation with Bernama.

He said the partnership was indeed, important to support the NNN role in creating awareness on Latin America and Caribbean countries.

“Also, we want Asians to know us better. Thus, we look forward to further expand the cooperation for this purpose,” he said, speaking through a translator.

During his 90-minute visit to Bernama, Molina also toured the Bernama News Channel (BNC), Bernama Radio and Bernama’s Editorial Department.

He arrived here yesterday as part of his visit to three ASEAN countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam to strengthen Caracas’ ties with this region.

On Venezuela, Molina said the country is confident of overcoming the current economic crisis via a recently-announced recovery plan, despite ongoing attempts by some countries to sabotage its economy and the country.

He said President Nicolas Maduro had recently announced various measures and reforms to tackle the crisis and hyperinflation, but stressed that it would take some time to see the results as some of these measures had been put in place just less than a month ago.

He added there were countries including some in Latin America trying to create an impression that Venezuela was facing a humanitarian crisis due to exodus of Venezuelan migrants to neighbouring countries, to justify foreign intervention and interference into Venezuela’s domestic affairs.

“We are under (an) economic war...our currency being attacked...also our economy, financial and commercial sectors,” he said.

Molina pointed out that foreign power attempts to interfere in Venezuela’s domestic affairs were aimed at controlling the country’s natural resources including its oil and gas, minerals and even water.

He said that due to economic sabotage through unilateral measures, Venezuela faced food and medicine shortages and difficulties in importing raw materials for production and industries.

Venezuela is also under various sanctions imposed by the United States (US) and the European Union, including on companies and officials of the country which has the world’s largest proven oil reserves.