Contributions from Carin Zissis
A new Chinese financing plan provides $20 billion in loans for Venezuela. The series of accords signed includes plans for a joint venture for exploration in the oil-rich Orinoco belt and secures Venezuelan oil for energy-hungry China.
Brasilia plays host this week to its fellow BRIC members, highlighting Moscow and Beijing’s hemispheric ties. China’s President Hu Jintao will also visit Venezuela and Chile while Russia's Dmitry Medvedev heads to Argentina.
Brazil's Defense Minister Nelson Jobim traveled to Washington to sign a bilateral military agreement with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on April 12. The accord marks the frst military pact between the two countries since 1977. Gates travels this week to Peru, Colombia, and Barbados.