Venezuela
History
of Relations | Diplomatic Representation | Travel
Info | Health Requirements | Climate Info
| Currency Info | Trade Info | Visits
and Meetings | Agreements | Interest Groups/
Organisations
History of
Relations
In the early 1990s, official contact with Venezuela
was established through both countries' embassies in Santiago, Chile, and following
the UN draft resolution to lift economic sanctions, Venezuela abolished its trade
sanctions against South Africa in October 1993. On 3 December 1993, two days before
the General Elections in Venezuela, South Africa and Venezuela established full
diplomatic relations, which normalised the relationship between the two countries.
The Venezuelan Embassy opened in Pretoria in 1995 while the South African Embassy
in Caracas opened in early 1998. South Africa's Ambassador, Ms Thandeka Luthuli-Gcabashe,
arrived in Caracas in November 1998, presenting her credentials to former President
Caldera shortly thereafter.
Diplomatic
Representation
South African Representation in Venezuela
H E Ms T Shope-Linney
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
South
African Embassy
Venezuelan
Representation in South Africa
H E Prof A Montilla Saldiva
Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Venezuelan
Embassy
Travel
Info
Visa Requirements for South Africans
None for ordinary
South African passport holders for up to 90 days. Certain classes of business
travellers may require visas - enquire at the Venezuelan Embassy, details of which
are given below.
Health
Requirements
·
Yellow fever certificate.
·
Malaria - high risk in Amazon jungle.
·
Tetanus - immunisation recommended.
For further information
go to Travelers' Health.
Climate Info
Tropical
in low areas; rainy season from May to December; cool weather in higher regions.
For
up-to-date weather information click here
Currency
Info
Bolivar. US$1 - 652 Bolivares in January 2000.
For
up-to-date information click here
State
and Official Visits / Bilateral Meetings
No Information
Bilateral
Agreements
If you have any queries with regard to treaties please contact the Treaty Section at 012 351 0872/0851/0837.
Trade
Info
South African exports to Venezuela consisted mainly
of wood pulp and related products, followed by base metals and chemical products.
South African imports from Venezuela consisted mainly of oil, Venezuela providing
3% of SA's total imports of this commodity in 1998.
For current information
on trade statistics between South Africa and Venezuela, visit the web site of
the Department of
Trade and Industry of South Africa
Interest
Groups and Information
No Information
