US Envoy to Brazil reiterates concern about Venezuela's likely arms race

US Ambassador in Brasilia Clifford Sobel claimed his country is both concerned about increased arms purchases by Venezuela and cautious of a likely deterioration of democracy in the country, Efe reported.

In a large interview newspaper Valor published on Thursday, Sobel elaborated on the agenda US and Brazilian Presidents George W. Bush and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva are to meet during their meeting next week in Sao Paulo. Sobel claimed he had no information on whether Venezuela would be one of the issues included in such agenda. However, he did voice Washington concerns about Caracas.

Presidents Bush and Lula will "decide the issues they are to discuss. The important thing is that we are worried about increased weapons and the kind of weapons that have been purchased (in Venezuela," the diplomat said.

"We are concerned about any country increasing arms purchases dramatically. I am not the US Ambassador to Venezuela. I am not supposed to talk about this, but we are obviously concerned about regional stability and about any country buying the kind of weapons Venezuela has been purchasing."