Posted on 06/11/2006 8:33:12 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez announced on Sunday that he will visit Iran and North Korea, two nations at odds with Washington over nuclear development, at a time when Chavez is seeking to distance Venezuela from the United States.
Chavez, who has promised a socialist revolution to end poverty in the world's fifth-largest oil exporter, has drawn fire from the State Department for building alliances with U.S. foes like Cuba and Iran.
"We will soon be in North Korea, we will soon be in Tehran, deepening our ... strategic alliances," Chavez said during his weekly Sunday broadcast.
He said the tour will also include stops in China and Russia, where Venezuela will sign military cooperation agreements with the Russian government, following U.S. moves to block Chavez's arms purchases from other countries.
He did not provide dates for the trip, which he said will include a stop in "North Vietnam."
The State Department last month added Venezuela to a list of nations not cooperating in the fight on terrorism and has repeatedly accused Chavez of supporting leftist guerrillas in neighboring Colombia, though there has been no clear evidence to support this claim.
The U.S. government in January blocked sales of Spanish military planes and ships to Venezuela by refusing Spain an export license for the U.S. technology used in the vessels.
Chavez has aggressively supported Iran's efforts to develop nuclear technology, and has helped undermine the U.S. embargo of Cuba by increasing trade and providing oil on favorable terms.
He drew State Department criticism in 2000 by visiting former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein as part of a tour to strengthen the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.
Last month, he took a Venezuelan delegation to England, Italy, Austria, Libya, and Algeria.
The leftist former paratrooper, who has hurled insults like "donkey" and "assassin" at President Bush, is up for re-election in December.
He is widely expected to win after building up popular support through multibillion-dollar social investment projects financed by oil revenues.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez speaks during the OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) meeting in Caracas, June 1 2006. Chavez announced on Sunday that he will visit Iran and North Korea, two nations at odds with Washington over nuclear development, at a time when Chavez is seeking to distance Venezuela from the United States. (Andrew Winning/Reuters)
who cares?
I mean the media report every word Chavez says. They track his every move.
It just doesn't matter what he says or does. Why the hype?
This dummy sure does pick crappy vacation spots.
I see Chavez is doing a world loser tour. What a tool.
Future Democrat congressman.
Chavez really wants to be included in the "Axis of Evil" list..... I think we can oblige him. Hey, Chavez, keep in mind that you're a good deal easier to reach than Saddam or al-Zarqawi...... anytime we want to......
He aspires to the "Axis of Evil", but can only work up enough minor mayhem to make the "Axis of Weasels".
Seems like great opportunity for "travel mishaps".
Globally insignificant little zeros like Chaves, Kim Jong, Ahmadinejad, Zarqawi, Castro, et al, try to carve out a place in history for themselves by being a thorn in the side of the "giant". They suffer from big egos and little substance. They live and die having contributed nothing to the world but a legacy of paranoia and inferiority complexes for the historians and phychologists of future times to study.
Chavez ping.
Getting close to Iran and North Korea will only speed up the date for him getting his butt flamed.
I see Chavez wanting a nuke.... in exchange for oil to Kim.
He does a weekly six-hour (that's six hour) TV show during which he just spews the entire time. Two weeks ago he was in Bolivia, where he donned an inca serape and one of those pointed wool hats with ear flaps that stupd american hippy college kids wear. Based on his appearance, according to some of my Venezuelan friends, he has a new nickname - President Condom. Apparently he became enraged when he heard people calling him that.
You will know him by the company he keeps.
Or lots of tanks and guns and ammo in exchange for oil.
It's an alliance of evil. They have the common goal of trying to destroy the United States because we are the last bastion of Christianity, freedom, ecomonic prosperity and military might. The U.S. represents just about everything that evil hates, from Christianity and faith to Democracy and freedom, from wealth and national strength to economic opportunity and science & medical advancement; from agricultural bounty and being able to feed the world's poor to providing hope and a future to all Americans. In other words America is a land of FAITH, HOPE, CHARITY and BOUNTY, the four things evil hates the most.
Porky, Stinky and Daffy what an unholy trinity.
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