Scottish Venezuelan Society reports

This section will be gradually expanded to include reports and information from visits to Venezuela.  The Society's Chair, Brian Wilson, visits the country regularly. 

NOTE ON VISIT TO VENEZUELA  APRIL 27-MAY 1 2008

This was a successful visit in terms of contacts established, projects identified and recognition of our strategic objectives.  Awareness of SVS among people influential in Government circles was expanded.  Support from the British Embassy both for the Society and the wider objectives were reinforced.

Key meetings included a very cordial one with the new Vice Minister for Europe, Alexandro Fleming.

The Chief of Staff to the Foreign Minister, Temir Porras, whom Ken Robertson and I met  on our visit last October (when he was acting Vice Minister for Europe), came to the residence for a meeting with the Ambassador and myself;  a key contact and  valuable in terms of  continuity.  The former Vice-President of Venezuela and ongoing elder statesman, Jose Vincente Rangel, was extremely positive and subsequently offered to “open doors”.   These are excellent contacts on all levels.

I was accompanied by two members of the Council of the SVS, John Colquhoun and Alasdair Morrison.  Both added considerable value to the visit, both generally and in terms of their special interests.  

John’s specific expertise is in sport and there was an enthusiastic response from all quarters to the prospect of a project being developed to create ongoing links, particularly through football which is very much a growth activity in Venezuela – not least because it is associated with Latin American rather than the US.   Alasdair, who is a former Scottish Tourism Minister,  undertook the Cacique leg of the visit with Rafael, was greatly impressed with what he saw and will take forward support through SVS for the proposed tourism project, led by Diageo, in that vicinity. I hope that both can return in the near future to build on this visit.

The Ambassador, Catherine Royle, could not have been more helpful and laid on a dinner at the residence in honour of the visit.  One of the attendees was Neil Harvie, who heads the Wood Group in Latin America and the Caribbean.  He promised their support for SVS and they can now be named as major members.  This is a necessary step towards diversifying the base of SVS and linking it to other aspects of Scottish involvement in Venezuela.

Many thanks to Rafael, Raul, Ilia, Jennifer and everyone else at in Caracas for the tremendous work that was put into preparing and delivering this visit.  In terms of access and response, it appeared to be extremely successful, there is now a lot to follow up on.

Brian Wilson