International Health Insurance Ð Click here for an instant quote

* [2006-05-26] Venezuelan energy law to govern nuclear issues
El Universal

* [2006-05-15] U.S. Orders Ban of Arms Sales to Venezuela
George Gedda, AP/Guardian

* [2006-05-13] OR experts helping with Venezuela incident
Frank Munger, Knoxville News Sentinel

* [2006-05-12] OR nuke experts sent to Venezuela
Frank Munger, Knoxville News Sentinel

October 17, 2005

Venezuela - Chavez an axis-of-evil wannabe?

President Hugo Chavez is forming what Pentagon officials say are neighborhood militias modeled after Cuba's communist apparatus to maintain iron-fisted control. Venezuela has begun taking delivery of more than 100,000 Russian-made AK-47s, some of which will arm the militias, according to a senior Bush Administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. It is also ramping up production of small-arms rounds that the Bush administration fears will be shipped to rebels in democratic parts of Latin America. Some analysts in the Bush administration fear that the military buildup is a precursor to ending elections.

More troubling to the Bush administration is Mr. Chavez's close ties to the mullahs in Iran. He visited Tehran last year and held a series of meetings with Iran's ruling mullahs. He then publicly supported Iran's quest for a huge nuclear industry. During an interview on Arab-language Al Jazeera television, Mr. Chavez, who had just completed his trip to Iran, was asked about his confrontation with the United States and whether he feared being deposed as Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was. "I am on the offensive," Mr. Chavez responded, according to a transcript from the British Broadcasting Corp., "because attack is the best form of defense. We are waging an offensive battle. Yesterday, in Tehran, the spiritual guide [Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei told me a true statement: power, power." Mr. Chavez called the U.S. war on terrorism "terrorism itself."

The Venezuelan government has made overtures to various countries about obtaining nuclear technology, according to U.S. officials, who worry that President Hugo Chavez might be taking the first steps in a long road to develop nuclear weaponry. The administration official told reporter that "My sense is that Venezuela has not been as successful with its nuclear entreaties with other countries as it would have liked." Concern in Washington over Mr. Chavez's nuclear ambitions arose this week after the Argentine newspaper Clarin reported Sunday that Venezuela had asked Buenos Aires to sell it a nuclear reactor. Two days later, the Latin News Daily quoted Venezuelan Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez as denying the report. He said Venezuela was merely in talks with Argentina and Brazil to explore the peaceful scientific uses of the atom. Mr. Chavez periodically has expressed an interest in building a nuclear reactor to generate electric power.