Hugo Chavez standing by embattled Qaddafi
Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez shares a moment with his grandson Jorge before delivering a speech to supporters on Sunday. Chavez scoffed at opponents' suggestions that the protests sweeping the Middle East could occur in Venezuela and vowed not to allow violent uprisings aimed at spurring his ouster, prompting applause from a crowd of red-clad supporters. (AP)
Published: Mar 1, 2011 12:17 Updated: Mar 1, 2011 22:03
CARACAS, Venezuela: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Monday said he won’t condemn Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi and he warned that the United States is preparing an invasion of the North African country to seize control of its oil reserves.
“A campaign of lies is being spun together regarding Libya,” said Chavez, in a televised speech to a crowd of graduates who had just received diplomas from state universities. “I’m not going to condemn him. I’d be a coward to condemn someone who has been my friend.” The US government is behind the campaign to remove Qaddafi, he said.
“The United States has already said it’s ready to invade Libya, don’t you see? And almost all the countries of Europe are condemning Libya ... What do they want. They are rubbing their hands together. Oil is what’s important to them,” he said.
Chavez noted that numerous countries have condemned Qaddafi for cracking down on Libyans who have risen up against him.
“Maybe they have information that we don’t have,” he said.
Chavez slammed the United States for moving naval and air forces closer to Libya amid active international discussions about imposing a no-fly zone over the country, and he warned that US officials are preparing to invade Libya.
Chavez and Qaddafi, united in their mutual antagonism toward Washington, have forged close ties.
Venezuela’s opposition has strongly criticized Chavez for his close relationship to Qaddafi. Earlier on Monday, a coalition of opposition parties warned that Chavez’s failure to take a stand against Qaddafi’s violent crackdown is smearing Venezuela’s reputation.
“By distancing himself from the numerous nations that condemn the criminal actions of the Libyan leader, Chavez makes our country out to be his defender and irresponsibly puts us alongside governments rejected by the international community,” the coalition said in a statement.
Opposition politician Gustavo Azocar demanded that Chavez ask Qaddafi to return a replica of the sword that once belonged to 19th-century independence hero Simon Bolivar.
Azocar said in an e-mail sent to The Associated Press on Monday that Venezuela’s foreign minister, Nicolas Maduro, “should explain why the government gave the sword of the Liberator, Simon Bolivar, to an assassin like Qaddafi.”
Chavez gave the sword to Qaddafi last year. The self-proclaimed socialist has scoffed at suggestions by his adversaries that protests similar to those sweeping the Middle East could occur in Venezuela.
Venezuela and Libya are both major oil exporters.
Comments
JUDGE
Mar 2, 2011 03:18
Report abuseMOHAMMED
Mar 2, 2011 10:23
Report abuseABUABDULLA
Mar 2, 2011 10:34
Report abuseGREGORY
Mar 2, 2011 11:41
Report abuseenergies, Already in the west are several programmes in progress.and when that happened thugs like Chavez, AhamadinaJERK wan't last fiven minutes.
Look at the rethorics of this thug of Gaddafi. He has no friends in the world willing to help him. That is the fate that will befall to thugs like Chavez and c/o
S.S.JAFFRY
Mar 3, 2011 19:33
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