VENEZUELA: US arms embargo 'imperial abuse'

On May 15, the US announced that it would halt weapons sales to Venezuela due to its alleged lack of cooperation in the US "war on terrorism". In response, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez told the BBC during a recent London visit: "If it's true that the empire is taking sanctions against us, firstly it's a confirmation of imperial abuse, of imperial desperation [and] secondly we will take no notice. It is an impotent empire."

The US State Department has cited Venezuela's relationships with Cuba and Iran as a block to collaboration with the US's so-called anti-terror campaign.

A statement issued by Venezuela's foreign ministry said Washington's move was "based on a futile campaign to discredit and isolate Venezuela, to destabilise its democratic government and prepare the political conditions for an attack", and speculated that the US was really punishing Venezuela for criticising the US-led war on Iraq. The statement concluded that the US doesn't want to sell arms to Venezuela so it can prevent Venezuela from being able to defend itself.

[For a full report, visit <http://www.venezuelanalysis.com>.]

From Green Left Weekly, May 24, 2006.

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From GLW issue 668