MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bush and Chavez exchange “compliments”

United States is “concerned about the erosion of democracy” in Venezuela and Bolivia said Monday US president George Bush following a restaurant industry question-reply convention in Chicago.

President Bush specifically mentioned the lack of respect for human rights and private property as the main reasons for his administration's concern.

Critics of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a populist former Army colonel and close ally of Cuba's Fidel Castro, allege he has virtually unchecked power since he has managed control over the Judiciary and Congress.

In Bolivia Evo Morales, the first elected indigenous president earlier this month took over the energy industry including huge reserves of natural gas and oil, ignoring contracts, and yet has to determine compensation procedures.

Foreign gas and oil companies which have invested over six billion US dollars in developing the industry during the last ten years describe the move as "confiscatory" and some have indicated they are considering international arbitration.

"Let me just put it bluntly: I'm concerned about the erosion of democracy" in Venezuela and Bolivia, remarked President Bush. "Respect for property rights and human rights are essential" he added.

"Meddling in other elections ... to achieve a short-term objective is not in the interests of the neighbourhood" he insisted referring to allegations that President Chavez is using his country's vast oil wealth to influence politics in neighbouring countries.

Bush did not mention either Chavez or Morales by name. Relations between Caracas and Washington have deteriorated steadily since former failed coup-plotter Chavez first took office in early 1999 after being elected in a landslide.

The Venezuelan leader often calls Bush a "murderer", war-monger accusing him of conspiring to overthrow him and take over the country's vast energy resources.

The Bush administration last week barred the sale of weapons and defence materiel to Venezuela, alleging that the Chavez administration, which is friendly with Iran, does not cooperate sufficiently with U.S. efforts against international terrorism.

Chavez replied he was thinking of selling Venezuela's US built F 16 fighters to Iran and purchasing new MIGs from Russia, "which are far superior technologically". And in an interview with a German magazine he warned that if "President Bush attacks Iran, the price of oil will soar to over 100 dollars per barrel".

"There's not enough crude in the world to satisfy US waste, and that is the real motive behind the attempted coup against us (April 2002): they wanted our oil. The following plan was to invade Iraq and now it's Iran", said Chavez.

Further on he defended Iran's right to develop nuclear energy: "it's the natural answer to the oncoming oil crisis and I know the Iranians, they want to develop nuclear energy for peaceful means".

"Latinamerica is turning left because the continent is fed up with neo-liberalism which has only strengthened poverty and misery in the hemisphere", said President Chavez.

For the last 200 years United States has been meddling in Latinamerican and Caribbean affairs "intervening in countries, rigging elections, giving millions to rebels, conspiring with government critics in local media, spying and promoting military interventions".

"They are world champions of immorality" highlighted the Venezuelan president.