IMPORTANCE OF VENEZUELAN-COLOMBIAN NAVIGATION PROJECT VIEWED

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP08C01297R000700030038-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 25, 2012
• Sequence Number: 38
• Publication Date: May 3, 1985
• Content Type: MISC

I r?
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/09/25: CIA-RDP08001297R000700030038-3 C,ej
JPRS-L1M-85-038
3 May 1985
INTER-AMERICAN AFFAIRS
IMPORTANCE OF VENEZUELAN-COLOMBIAN NAVIGATION PROJECT VIEWED
Caracas EL DIARIO DE CARACAS in Spanish 7 Mar 85 pp 32-33
[Article by Miguel Angel Burelli Rivas, Paul Georgescu Pipera and Constantino
Georgescu Pipera]
[Text] The so-called "Orinoco-Meta Project" (POM) seeks to develop navigation
on these two rivers in order to materialize the interoceanic Delta Amacuro
to the Atlantic and with Buenaventura (in Colombia) to the Pacific.
Long used in the past, that river route is of even greater importance today due
to the facility it provides for economic trade between Colombia and Venezuela,
The waterway can be used to transport steel and aluminum products made in
Puerto Ordaz (Venezuela) over a distance of nearly 1,600 kilometers to Puerto
Lopez (Colombia) and from there, overland only 200 kilometers to Bogota. In
the opposite direction, boats can return to Venezuela loaded with agricultural
products, lumber, coal for coke, and so on.
Studies and actual tests have shown that if this activity were implemented, in
the case of steel and aluminum products, transport costs are reduced by $40 to
$50 a ton, compared with maritime transport. Likewise, one must consider the
great socioeconomic benefits to people in the area resulting from the establish-
ment of a continuous flow of river traffic that could greatly improve trans-
portation in this flatlands area.
In addition, considering existing communications (roads and railroad) between
Bogota and Puerto Buenaventura on the Pacific, if one would use the Orinoco-
Meta route, one would obtain a new Atlantic-Pacific interoceanic communication
from the Delta Amacuro to Buenaventura that would be only 2,668 kilometers long
and of great importance to the economy and geopolitics of the region and the
continent.
Background
The discovery of the Orinoco in the 16th century meant the beginning of the
penetration of the flatlands and the first demonstration of the indissoluble
physical ties between the valley and its tributary, the Rio Meta. The Spaniards,
first of all, those who came from Coro or down the Orinoco and later, those who
came from the Andes from Santa Fe de Bogota toward the ocean, used its waters
to sail toward Trinidad and Europe.
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But since these regions concealed neither gold nor precious stones, the con-
quistadores gradually withdrew and in their place came the missionaries and
the clergy, who managed, through faith and patience, to partially pacify the
indomitable inhabitants of the flatlands The decree of Carlos III of 1767,
following the expulsion of the Jesuits, resulted in everything returning to
oblivion and barbarity,
In 1811, canon Cortes de Madariaga, apologist for the idea of the fluvial
integration of our two countries, a "Chilean by birth but Venezuelan by
feeling," managed, through great personal efforts and facing the greatest
dangers, to go from Santa Fe de Bogota to Calabozo, Venezuela, in something
under a month. At the time of his trip, commercial trade between Venezuela
and Santa Fe only occurred through Maracaibo, and Madariaga emphasized the
serious harm this fact represented for regional commerce, As a good analyst,
he made a comparison between this route and that of Cartagena, Where one would
take the waters of the Rio Magdalena, and concluded that of the two possibili-
ties, the Meta route was preferable in order to link Venezuela's trade with
the provinces of Cundinamarca, Popayan, Quito and its neighboring cantons.
Shortly thereafter, a group of scientists headed by Peruvian naturalist Mariano
Eduardo Rivero completed 3 years of studies and explorations of the Orinoco
and Meta rivers, publishing their conclusions in Lima in 1825, entitled
"Natural Sciences Memorial." Simon Bolivar, who was informed of the work,
approved of and supported the ideas expressed, convinced of their importance
to the future of the countries and the joint development of navigation of the
two rivers.
However, efforts made to implement comm-nications between the Orinoco and the
Meta were dealt a mortal blow in 1830 with the secession of the territory of
Greater Colombia, created by Bolivar. NeverthelesS, despite all the diffi-
culties and the opposition of some circles, a number of decrees and treaties
on trade and navigation were signed during the remaining years of the century,
seeking a legal way to restore these logical, necessary and indispensable
ties so vital to the harmonious development of such extensive and rich Common
zones.
In this century, several attempts have been made to develop river transport on
the Orinoco and Meta rivers, but only in recent years have any real possibili-
ties of implementing this important project in the near future been glimpsed.
This opportunity is due to the economic development of the region of the Vene-
zuelan Guayana and the Cundinamarca in Colombia and to the interest both coun-
tries would have in increasing commercial trade between the two regions. It is
of the greatest importance that the project would contribute, to the physical
integration of the continent.
Orinoco-Meta Project
The guiding idea of the Orinoco-Meta project resides in the accomplishment of
useful river navigation between Venezuela and Colombia, utilizing the waters
of those rivers. This can practically be done now over a distance of nearly
1,900 kilometers between Boca Grande (Amacuro-Orinoco Delta) and Puerto Lopez
(Meta).
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The following situation prevails on. the Orinoco River along.the 1.,026 kilometers
between its delta and Puerto Paez:
Practice, confirms that for 8 months of the year, between April and November,
the rivers can be navigated by vessels having from 4 to -5 feet of draft and
convoys carrying Up to 2,500 tons can be used., The authors of this article
verified this fact on, the trip made With the. "Niculina," with a draft of?:"
3 feet, going on the Meta from Puerto Lopez to Puerto Carreno in December 1981
with practically no problem at all.
Naturally', it is necessary to maintain and improve the channel of navigation.
Orinoco River: ?The maintenance which. the Venezuelan National Institute of
Canalization is practicing on. the Boca Grande.-Puerto Ordaz section must be
continued.
Concerning the project involving the working of the Pijiguaos bauxite, work of
cleaning out the Orinoco channel and the reparation of dangerous sections such
as the Cariven rapids, and so on, will make it possible for navigational
conditions ?to be improved as far as Ventana and from there, at little cost, to
Puerto Paez.
Meta River: On the. international waters common to Colombia and Venezuela, the
main work involves 'the 'areasof Trapichote (a section 2 kilometers long),
Buenavista (1 kilometer), Trapichito (under 1 kilometer) and three or four
sections measuring under 1 kilometer, In Colombian waters, a total of some
6 kilometers of the channel must be fixed in the areas of San Jorge, Voragina,
Guachiria, Macucuana and 7 or 8 other sections.
In addition, it is necessary to improve existing port facilities and the
proper customs must be set up in Puerto Paez (Venezuela) and Puerto Carreno
(Colombia). Arrangements and flexible rules must be established for naviga-
tion, documents, insurance, and so on.
Future development of this waterway and its integration into highway and commun-
ications systems existing in the two countries will decide what other ports
must be developed.
The economic advantages Of implementing this river artery are obvious and
include the following:
the Opening of a new cheap and direct means of transportation for trading of
iron and steel products, aluminum, from Venezuela to Colombia and, in the oppo-
site 'direction, of agricultural products, coal for coke, lumber, and so on,
from Colombia to Venezuela;
relieving the congestion of roads in both countries, with the resulting reduc-
tion in environmental pollution, which action is helped by the integral develop-
ment of the Orinoco and Meta valleys; and
help in solving border problems of the two countries
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Navigation on the Orinoco River
Section.
Boca Grande-Puerto Ordaz
Puerto Ordaz-Ciudad Bolivar
Ciudad Bolivar-Puerto Paez
Length (km) Possibility of Navigation
303 Oceanic navigation; channel with
good maintenance; draft 10-12 meters;
no buoys
83 All year round; average draft of
2.5 meters; inadequate buoys
640 Year round; draft of 2,5 to 1.5
meters; no buoys
In general, there is an important element of physical-regional integration of
these ?two countries belonging to the Andean Pact that must be put to the best
use immediately.
As an eloquent example to illustrate the mentioned economic advantages, one
might point out that in the transport of iron and steel products on the Orinoco
to Bogota using the Orinoco-Meta, there is a reduction of some $40 to $50
a ton compared with the price of maritime transport.
Amacuro Delta-Puerto Buenaventura
In order to go from the ports of the Atlantic or the Caribbean to' the Pacific
and vice versa, vessels of any nationality must make long maritime detours of
thousands of kilometers and go through the Panama Canal, with the added problem
that, in addition to being very costly, any difficulty in the operation of the
canal interrupts communications.
Another obvious, more suitable and perfectly safe solution is presented if one
considers extension of the Orinoco-Meta waterway to Puerto Buenaventura on the
Pacific, using overland transport (roads and railroad) already in existence
between Puerto Lopez-Bogota-Puerto Buenaventura.
In this way, there is a multimodal means of transportation from the Atlantic
to the Pacific.
-
A brief technical analysis shows that the length of this interoceanic route,
2,668 kilometers, is distributed as follows:
a) river: 1,889 kilometers, as shown in the preceding paragraph;
b) by road: 779 kilometers as follows: Puerto Lopez-Bogota, 230 kilometers;
Bogota-Ibague-Armenia-Buga-Buenaventura, 549 kilometers;
c) railroad: overland alternative that can be used between Bogota and Buena-
Ventura using the existing Bogota-Medellin-Calf-Buenaventbra rciad. This alterna-
tive can be greatly shortened if-Ibague and Armenia were connected.
The economic advantages resulting from the imprementation of this interqceanic
route would benefit the entire South American community. It is the shortest
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route in thenorthern region of the continent. Naturally, for the countries
using it: Colombia and Venezuela, the advantages will be even greater.
Atlantic-Pacific Connections
Name
Orinoco Delta, Venezuela
Puerto Buenaventura, Col.
Belem do Para, Brazil
San Lorenzo, Ecuador
Belem do Para, Brazil
Chiclayo, Peru
Santos, Brazil
Mollendo, Peru
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Valparaiso, Chile
Navigation on the Meta River
Length (km)/River Highway Rail Total
_
1,889 779
Orinoco and Meta 230 549 2,668
4,535
Putumayo and Amazon
4,796 ' 700
Maranon and Amazon
,350
180
477 373 5,385
5,496
2,550 2,900
1,050 1,230
On the Meta River, from Puerto Ordaz to the terminal port, Puerto Lopez,
863 kilometers, the situation is as follows:
Section Length Navigational Possibility
Puerto Paez-Nueva. Antioquia 296
Nueva Antioquid
Orocue-PuertO Lopez
Year round; minimum draft, 1.5
meters; no buoys
300 Year round; minimum draft I meter;
no buoys
267 Year round; minimum draft approx.
.70 meter; no buoys
We deem it to be of prime importance that distances would he reduced. andthere
would be much greater geopolitical guarantees, since it would to longer be
necessary to depend on the Panama Canal and it Would be possible to trade, pro-
ducts from the Pacific Coast with those from the Atlantic. For their part,
Venezuela and Colombia would develop and improve existing facilities and would
benefit from all the resulting transit. Satisfactory settlement of the Esequibo
dispute would be of great importance to the development of this joint Colombian.-
Venezuelan project, insofar as the proper xestitutiorrof territories arbitrarily
taken away from the AMacuro Delta would completely open up the Orinoco Basin
to Uavj.gation.
On the whole, the physical integration of the continent would take a huge -
. step forward..
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To gain an appreciation of the continental importance of the Amacuro Delta-
Puerto Buenaventura interoceanic connection, the map [not reproduced] and the
tables present the proposals and basic characteristics of other interoceanic
paths of communication that can be implemented on the continent. An analysis
of the figures shows the advantages of the Amacuro-Buenaventura Interoceanic
Connection (VIAB).
Conclusions
The project for the useful navigation of the Orinoco and Meta rivers is feasible
in the near future at a relatively small cost, using navigable waterways and
without requiring major dredging and maintenance, work. At the same time, it is
possible to use existing facilities, that will be gradually improved and ex-
panded, insofar as the startup of the project yields its benefits.
The Amacuro Delta-Buenaventura Interoceanic Connection represents a logical and
immediate extension of the Orinoco-Meta waterway, integrating that river artery
into already existing means of overland transportation between Puerto Lopez
and Puerto Buenaventura. -
In addition to easing trade between Colombia and Venezuela, the Completion of
these projects would help improve the flow of goods throughout the continent,
essentially contributing to the physical integration of South America.
11,464
CSO: 3348/522
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