Critics doubt US credibility
by Daniel Cancel
The bi-lateral relations between the United States and Venezuela have hit a new low one day after the arms ban imposed against Chávez’ government. The Foreign Affairs Ministry believes that the move is preparing conditions for an attack. A military official stated that some F-16 jets could be sold off to Iran, China or Cuba.
After the surprising decision by the United States government to ban arms sales to Venezuela on Monday, a flurry of responses have filled the Venezuelan political spectrum, from the Foreign Affairs Ministry to the vice president of the Republic. A military official announced that they may sell F-16 fighter jets to a third country, hinting at Iran, Cuba or China.
A press release from the Foreign Relations Ministry (MRE) late Monday night entitled “The United States is creating conditions to attack Venezuela,” responded to the claims that they are harbouring terrorists, and once again intended to show the contradictory rhetoric of the United States government.
The text states “(the U.S.) affirms that Venezuela is not sufficiently collaborating in the fight against terrorism. If by that they mean supporting virtual genocide that they have been carrying out against the Iraqi people and on the contrary, they are not condemned vehemently means not ‘collaborating,’ then Venezuela is not willing to do so under any concept or pretext.”
The response from the Chancellor’s office continues by stating that if “(the Bush Administration’s) thesis is that ‘not only he who is involved in terrorist acts is a terrorist, but also he who harbors terrorists.’” Then indeed they claim the Bush Administration is guilty on all charges.
The MRE cited the case of ex-CIA agent Luis Posada Carriles who is being held on immigration charges in the U.S., but is wanted by Cuban and Venezuelan authorities, for the destruction of a civilian aircraft in 1976 which killed 73 passengers. As well as Antonio Colina and Germán Varela who are accused of setting off bombs in the Spanish and Colombian Embassies of Caracas in 2004.
The American authorities have cited fears of the suspects being tortured as to why they can't be extradited.
The release goes on to claim that this is indeed a result of the U.S. government’s attempt at isolating the Caribbean country and denying them not only defense mechanisms, but “also simple technology for guarding the coasts, as happened in the negotiations with Spain and Brazil (earlier in the year).” The Ministry claims that Venezuela will not give into the U.S. pressure which they paint as being “cowardly and opportunist” and that their strategy of interfering in other country's affairs will not work in Venezuela.
The final paragraph of the release shows their willingness to work with the American people but not with the current Bush government. "Our country extends its hand to our friends the American people, but we won't hesitate to close our fist in response to this aggression, the verbal and material attacks that this immoral government has beset against us in continuing with their aggressive nature which is their current destiny. Our people believe in the wisdom of the North American people and we are sure that they will impose their will against those who not only assassinate other country's people, but also uselessly sacrifice their own sons."
The responses didn't end there and on Tuesday it was Vice President José Vicente Rangel's turn. He showed a degree of indifference to the announcement and claimed that Venezuela can buy arms from any other country in the world. Again released in a written memo, Rangel calls the decision “hypocritical and immoral,” and claims that this is not a new move in the fragile diplomatic relations, but that rather it ratifies the behavior that the U.S: government has shown in the past. He resounded the comments by the MRE by saying that “no other country on earth can act as a supreme judge of the others.”
For the vice president of the National Assembly (AN), Desirée Santos Amaral, the arms ban is a “vulgar manoeuvre” while the Assembly representative Humberto Hernández stated that Venezuela is not obligated to buy arms from its enemy.
Reactions from the U.S. have been largely supportive of the move and explanation, one such voice is House Intelligence Committee Chairman Pete Hoekstra, a Republican from Michigan.
He was quoted as saying that the ban was not surprising and that, “the hostility shown by the Venezuelan leadership towards the United States along with its efforts to sow totalitarianism in the hemisphere, at the expense of the Venezuelan people, should be alarming to everyone.
We must remain vigilant against Venezuela’s efforts to spread anti-Americanism in Central and Latin America and the opening it provides for terrorists seeking to operate in our own backyard."
“(We) believe in the wisdom of the North American people and we are sure that they will impose their will against those who not only assassinate other country’s people, but also uselessly sacrifice their own sons.”
HINTS AT selling F-16s to Iran
by Fabiola Sánchez
CARACAS, Venezuela
Venezuela's military is considering the possibility of selling its fleet of U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets to another country, perhaps Iran, in response to a U.S. ban on arms sales to President Hugo Chávez’ government, a Venezuelan military official said Tuesday.
Gen. Alberto Muller, a senior adviser to Chávez, told The Associated Press he had recommended to the defense minister that Venezuela consider selling the 21 jets to another country.
Muller said he thought it was worthwhile to consider “the feasibility of a negotiation with Iran for the sale of those planes.”
Even before the United States announced the ban on arms sales Monday, Washington had stopped selling Venezuela sensitive upgrades for the F-16s.
Muller said officials have been considering options for replacing the F-16s for some time. He said the military was considering Russian Sukhoi Su-35 jet fighters, “which is the best jet fighter there is in the world right now.” Chávez has previously warned he could share the U.S.-made F-16s with Cuba and China – and look into buying new jets from Russia or China – because he said Washington was not supplying parts for the planes as agreed. U.S. officials have said Venezuela is bound under the 1982 contract to consult with Washington before transferring any F-16s to another country. Venezuela originally purchased its fleet of F-16s in 1983. Until Chile acquired a fleet in 2003, Venezuela was the only Latin American country to possess the warplanes made by Lockheed Martin.
The bi-lateral relations between the United States and Venezuela have hit a new low one day after the arms ban imposed against Chávez’ government. The Foreign Affairs Ministry believes that the move is preparing conditions for an attack. A military official stated that some F-16 jets could be sold off to Iran, China or Cuba.
After the surprising decision by the United States government to ban arms sales to Venezuela on Monday, a flurry of responses have filled the Venezuelan political spectrum, from the Foreign Affairs Ministry to the vice president of the Republic. A military official announced that they may sell F-16 fighter jets to a third country, hinting at Iran, Cuba or China.
A press release from the Foreign Relations Ministry (MRE) late Monday night entitled “The United States is creating conditions to attack Venezuela,” responded to the claims that they are harbouring terrorists, and once again intended to show the contradictory rhetoric of the United States government.
The text states “(the U.S.) affirms that Venezuela is not sufficiently collaborating in the fight against terrorism. If by that they mean supporting virtual genocide that they have been carrying out against the Iraqi people and on the contrary, they are not condemned vehemently means not ‘collaborating,’ then Venezuela is not willing to do so under any concept or pretext.”
The response from the Chancellor’s office continues by stating that if “(the Bush Administration’s) thesis is that ‘not only he who is involved in terrorist acts is a terrorist, but also he who harbors terrorists.’” Then indeed they claim the Bush Administration is guilty on all charges.
The MRE cited the case of ex-CIA agent Luis Posada Carriles who is being held on immigration charges in the U.S., but is wanted by Cuban and Venezuelan authorities, for the destruction of a civilian aircraft in 1976 which killed 73 passengers. As well as Antonio Colina and Germán Varela who are accused of setting off bombs in the Spanish and Colombian Embassies of Caracas in 2004.
The American authorities have cited fears of the suspects being tortured as to why they can't be extradited.
The release goes on to claim that this is indeed a result of the U.S. government’s attempt at isolating the Caribbean country and denying them not only defense mechanisms, but “also simple technology for guarding the coasts, as happened in the negotiations with Spain and Brazil (earlier in the year).” The Ministry claims that Venezuela will not give into the U.S. pressure which they paint as being “cowardly and opportunist” and that their strategy of interfering in other country's affairs will not work in Venezuela.
The final paragraph of the release shows their willingness to work with the American people but not with the current Bush government. "Our country extends its hand to our friends the American people, but we won't hesitate to close our fist in response to this aggression, the verbal and material attacks that this immoral government has beset against us in continuing with their aggressive nature which is their current destiny. Our people believe in the wisdom of the North American people and we are sure that they will impose their will against those who not only assassinate other country's people, but also uselessly sacrifice their own sons."
The responses didn't end there and on Tuesday it was Vice President José Vicente Rangel's turn. He showed a degree of indifference to the announcement and claimed that Venezuela can buy arms from any other country in the world. Again released in a written memo, Rangel calls the decision “hypocritical and immoral,” and claims that this is not a new move in the fragile diplomatic relations, but that rather it ratifies the behavior that the U.S: government has shown in the past. He resounded the comments by the MRE by saying that “no other country on earth can act as a supreme judge of the others.”
For the vice president of the National Assembly (AN), Desirée Santos Amaral, the arms ban is a “vulgar manoeuvre” while the Assembly representative Humberto Hernández stated that Venezuela is not obligated to buy arms from its enemy.
Reactions from the U.S. have been largely supportive of the move and explanation, one such voice is House Intelligence Committee Chairman Pete Hoekstra, a Republican from Michigan.
He was quoted as saying that the ban was not surprising and that, “the hostility shown by the Venezuelan leadership towards the United States along with its efforts to sow totalitarianism in the hemisphere, at the expense of the Venezuelan people, should be alarming to everyone.
We must remain vigilant against Venezuela’s efforts to spread anti-Americanism in Central and Latin America and the opening it provides for terrorists seeking to operate in our own backyard."
“(We) believe in the wisdom of the North American people and we are sure that they will impose their will against those who not only assassinate other country’s people, but also uselessly sacrifice their own sons.”
HINTS AT selling F-16s to Iran
by Fabiola Sánchez
CARACAS, Venezuela
Venezuela's military is considering the possibility of selling its fleet of U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets to another country, perhaps Iran, in response to a U.S. ban on arms sales to President Hugo Chávez’ government, a Venezuelan military official said Tuesday.
Gen. Alberto Muller, a senior adviser to Chávez, told The Associated Press he had recommended to the defense minister that Venezuela consider selling the 21 jets to another country.
Muller said he thought it was worthwhile to consider “the feasibility of a negotiation with Iran for the sale of those planes.”
Even before the United States announced the ban on arms sales Monday, Washington had stopped selling Venezuela sensitive upgrades for the F-16s.
Muller said officials have been considering options for replacing the F-16s for some time. He said the military was considering Russian Sukhoi Su-35 jet fighters, “which is the best jet fighter there is in the world right now.” Chávez has previously warned he could share the U.S.-made F-16s with Cuba and China – and look into buying new jets from Russia or China – because he said Washington was not supplying parts for the planes as agreed. U.S. officials have said Venezuela is bound under the 1982 contract to consult with Washington before transferring any F-16s to another country. Venezuela originally purchased its fleet of F-16s in 1983. Until Chile acquired a fleet in 2003, Venezuela was the only Latin American country to possess the warplanes made by Lockheed Martin.
posted by Alice at
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
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