Eduardo Fernández made these remarks during a specialized
session on petrochemical industries and technologies held alongside the 15th Iran Petrochemical Forum.
He emphasized that the Venezuelan petrochemical company is
entirely state-owned, with 100% of its shares belonging to the Venezuelan
government.
He noted that several subsidiary companies of Nelly
Petrochemical are located throughout Venezuela, producing products such as
olefins, plastics, fertilizers, and various industrial goods.
Fernández mentioned that polyethylene and propylene are
among the other petrochemical products produced in Venezuela, along with a
facility named Hugo Chavez that has a capacity of 2 million tons for urea,
ammonia, and various phosphate fertilizers.
He also discussed the José Antonio complex, another
petrochemical facility that partners with companies from Japan and Italy to
produce fertilizers and some industrial products.
Regarding Iran-Venezuela relations in the petrochemical
sector, Fernández noted that the initial contacts between the two countries
date back to 1960, but the real development of their relationship occurred
during Hugo Chavez's presidency.
In 2005, legislation was enacted in Venezuela aimed at
fostering economic, cultural, scientific, and technological cooperation between
Iran and Venezuela, creating a legal framework for strengthening ties.
Since then, he stated, 300 agreements have been signed
between the two countries across various sectors, including oil, gas,
transportation, science, technology, tourism, food, health, culture, and
defense.
Fernández highlighted a significant agreement signed in 2023
focused on the development of the petrochemical industry, leveraging Iranian
expertise in Venezuela. He mentioned that 15 Venezuelans were sent to Shiraz
for project management training, and a petrochemical empowerment center has
been established in Venezuela.
Additionally, he noted the formation of a joint
petrochemical company, where both nations are shareholders.
Fernández explained that since 2015, Venezuela has faced
intensified sanctions, prompting a focus on rebuilding the economy through
collaborations with partners, with Iran being one of the most vital trade
allies. This collaboration has successfully commenced in revitalizing the
petrochemical sector and overcoming its challenges.
He further stated that cooperation with Iran spans various
aspects of developing Venezuela's petrochemical industry. A company in
Venezuela is specifically focused on supplying essential equipment, utilizing
Iranian-produced catalysts to refurbish various facilities, including nitrogen
fertilizer production plants.
Looking ahead, Fernández mentioned that there are 12
development projects planned for Venezuela’s petrochemical sector by 2031,
which present investment opportunities in methanol, urea, and the renovation of
railroads and specialized ports for petrochemical export and import. Plans are
also in place for developing phosphate and nitrogen fertilizer production
chains.
He concluded by emphasizing the need to better identify and
introduce Venezuela's petrochemical industry capacities to Iranian
stakeholders, expressing the motto, "Teamwork guarantees victory,"
and highlighting the collaboration with capable Iran as a starting point for
success.