VENEZUELA’S acting president told oil-sector workers on Sunday that reform of the oil industry in her country was central to ensure sovereignty and to support social welfare.

Delcy Rodriguez told the meeting at the Puerto La Cruz refinery in Anzoategui State that “we must not be afraid of the energy agenda, neither with the United States, nor with the rest of the countries of the world.

“It is Venezuela’s right to have diversity in its international relations.”

The acting president emphasised that the country is moving forward with determination in the defence of its natural resources, while promoting strategic alliances that respect its independence.

She said: “May those barrels that are in green fields be converted into salary, food and health for our people. May national and international capabilities be added to develop our reserve.”

Ms Rodriguez highlighted the recent completion of the first contract for the export of natural gas, which positions Venezuela as an emerging power in this area, beyond oil.

She argued that the goal is to transform the world’s largest crude oil reserves and the hemisphere’s vast gas reserves into tangible prosperity for the Venezuelan people.

Ms Rodriguez said that legal reform in the oil sector will ensure the continuity of Commander Hugo Chavez’s legacy in terms of the state ownership of natural resources.