MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“Mr Blair, return the Malvinas/Falkands to Argentina”

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez called on British Primer Minister Tony Blair to return the Malvinas/Falkland Islands to Argentina after naming him a “subordinate” of United States and accomplice in flouting international law.

"Those islands are Argentine, return them Mr. Blair", said Chavez Thursday during a rally in Maracaibo.

"To those islands went the British Armada to run over the Argentine soldiers, supported by the United States government, by imperialism", added President Chavez recalling the 1982 South Atlantic conflict between Argentina and United Kingdom.

President Chavez reiterated his earlier criticisms of Prime Minister Blair whom he described as "an unconditional and subordinate of the madman, of Mr. Danger", in direct reference to United States president George W. Bush.

The Venezuelan leader statements were in reply to Mr. Blair's Wednesday call on Venezuela to abide by the rules established by the international community. Mr. Chavez considered the British leader's words a "threat to Venezuela", accusing United States and Britain of not respecting the international community, "of flouting the law, violating sovereignty and being totally disrespectful of peoples".

"Mr. Blair is a pawn of imperialism" who has ganged up with United States against Venezuela, said Chavez. "Mr. Blair has become the main ally of Hitler (President Bush)", he stressed.

On Wednesday in the House of Commons, Mr Blair was asked by Colin Burgon, an MP from his Labour party, whether Britain should follow "a really right-wing US republican agenda" in relation to Venezuela.

"It is rather important that the government of Venezuela realise that if they want to be respected members of the international community they should abide by the rules of the international community," Mr Blair replied. "I also have to say with the greatest respect to the president of Venezuela that when he forms an alliance with Cuba I would prefer to see Cuba a proper functioning democracy."

Mr Chavez, a close ally of Cuba's Fidel Castro, retorted: "You, Mr Blair, do not have the morality to call on anyone to respect the rules of the international community. You are precisely the one who has flouted international law the most...siding with Mr Danger to trample the people in Iraq".

The Venezuelan president has long railed against the US president, and accuses the US of planning to invade his country.

On Sunday he said his country needed a million armed men and women prepared to defend it.

The row with Prime Minister Blair comes at a rather critical moment. Relations between Venezuela and the US have worsened after both countries expelled one another's diplomats, after Venezuela accused the US embassy in Caracas of spying.