Thursday, September 24, 2009

Hugo Chavez and the One-Country Arms Race

Sadly, it looks like Venezuelan President's relationship with his Colombian neighbor is on the rocks, and his formerly warm relationship with Hillary has grown more distant.

Q. President Uribe of Colombia is worried about the arms race in Latin America. What do you say to him?
Chavez. I have nothing to say to Uribe. He is a liar. A compulsive liar. What do you say to someone like that? He has the arms race!

Q. What would be the basis for renewing relations with Colombia and Venezuela?
Chavez. ... The Colombian media, they slander me. They call me all sorts of things. And I have extended my hand, like Jesus, I have turned the other cheek. ... With Uribe I made 100,000 efforts. I extended my hand, when I got accusations, lies. ... I think Colombia deserves a better government. As long as that government is there, it will be difficult. No, it's impossible. It's a government of lies, of slander. No, there will not be a restoration of this relationship. No, it won't happen. Trade is reduced to zero. Political relations are frozen. Venezuela will trade with other nations. There are no relations with the government of Colombia but I love Colombia. ... I appeal to the UN to set up a peace plan for Colombia.

Hillary [Clinton] says we have an arms race. I don't know what's the matter with Hillary. I don't know. Maybe it's papers the pentagon passes to her. I also said hello to Hillary when she was there. She was very cordial. She was attacked in Congress for it and she said I was very cordial. She said something nice about me. I gave her a hug, a kiss. ... We haven't been able to talk [Hillary and I, lately]. And now she is saying we have an arms race. We don't. We only want a defense force. All countries have it. ... Hillary pay attention to this, it's the US, it's the US who has the largest arms race in the world. It's not Venezuela.

No comments: