Indonesia and Venezuela had established diplomatic relations on October 10, 1959. Jakarta opened its embassy in Caracas in 1977 and Venezuela reciprocated in 1981.
In August 12, 2000, Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez visited Jakarta and paid courtesy call to Indonesian president Abdurrahman Wahid. Subsequently in the next month on 26–28 September 2000 Indonesian president Abdurrahman Wahid visited Caracas to attend the OPEC summit, and paid a courtesy call to Hugo Chávez.[3] Venezuela has donated US$2 million for the relief effort promptly after the tsunami devastated Aceh in 2004. Venezuela also promoted education in Aceh by establishing Institute of Polytechnic of Venezuela-Indonesia in Aceh inaugurated in 2009.[1]
Trade and commerce
The bilateral trade between Indonesia and Venezuela saw a remarkable increase, tripled in five years between 2003 and 2008. In 2003 the trade stood at just US$24.93 million, rose to $82.55 million in 2007, and US$92.27 million in 2008.[1] In 2009 bilateral trade rose to US$96 million.[2] From Indonesia, Venezuela imported textiles, cotton, natural rubber, fiber, wood products, electrical equipment, footwear and sports equipment, while exporting plastic, cyclic amides, silicon dioxide and aluminum alloys to Indonesia. The trade balance is in favor to Indonesia, with $79.19 million worth of Indonesian exports to Venezuela in 2009.[1]
