The credit will be used to purchase nearly 100 tanks and a series of anti-aircraft rocket systems from Russia. In his weekly TV address, Mr Chavez said the weapons were intended to boost Venezuela's defensive capacity. The deal comes as tensions grow between Venezuela and Colombia over Bogota's plan to allow the US access to several military bases there. Colombia says the US forces will help in the war against drugs and left-wing guerrillas, and will not destabilise the region. Russian tour ...

"The system was blinking red." --The 9/11 Commission Report WASHINGTON -- New York County District Attorney Robert Morgenthau left his home turf and came to the nation's capital on Tuesday to sound the alarm about a "blossoming relationship" between Iran and Venezuela. Comparing the situation to the lead up to the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, Morgenthau warned of growing threats--involving missiles, nuclear ventures and terrorist training--that Iran and Venezuela are now...

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez sealed an agreement to export 20,000 barrels per day of gasoline to Iran, state TV reported Monday. The deal would give Tehran a cushion if the West carries out threats of fuel sanctions over Iran's nuclear program. The two countries signed the agreement late Sunday during a visit by Chavez, who pledged to deepen ties with Iran and stand together against what he called the imperialist powers of the world. Western leaders have threatened to impose further...

The presidents of the main Jewish community centers in Argentina, AMIA and DAIA, replied to the representations of Iranian spokesman Hassan Ghashghavi, who assured that “Argentinean authorities may say whatever they want, but they had been incapable of presenting, in 15 years, a valid or convincing reason for linking Iran with the bombing against AMIA.” Talking to the Jewish News Agency, AJN*, Guillermo Borger, AMIA’s president, demanded Iran “to say everything it has...

WORLDWIDE MARCH AGAINST HUGO CHAVEZ SEPTEMBER 4TH. The whole world is tired of Hugo Chávez. IT´S TIME TO WAKE UP!!! We are tired of Hugo Chavez insulting us, Latin America and the World, trying to impose through LIES, INTIMIDATION and POOR EDUCATION his ANACHRONSTIC and DELIRIOUS revolution upon us. We are tired of seeing so much hypocrisy in Chávez, who on the one hand talks about INTERVENTIONISM and on the other is the most INTERVENING president ever. We are tired...

“We estimate that about 50 or 60 million people will join their voices against meddling and disrespect of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez,” said Juan David Lacouture, one of the organizers Politics The promoters of "No more Chávez," a worldwide protest called on Facebook and Twitter for next September 4th, told Efe on Tuesday that they expect to surpass the high turnout in "One million voices against the FARC," the march of February 4th, 2008. ...

Ahmad Vahidi faced no opposition from MPs on the third day of a debate on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s choices for his new cabinet. Interpol has distributed Argentina’s warrant for his arrest for an attack on the AMIA, a Jewish Community Centre that killed 85 people. The lawmakers unanimously backed Vahidi after studying his plan for the enhancement of Iran’s defense capabilities if he is granted the vote of confidence by the parliament. Vahidi highlighted the...

Hugo Chavez launched a newspaper to fight against "media terrorism" that attacks his government. It's "El Correo del Orinoco," a reissue of the historic newspaper created in 1818 by Simon Bolivar to defend the struggle for independence. "We must be guided by the principles Bolivar expressed in the first edition of Correo del Orinoco: we are free, we write in a free country and we do not intend to deceive the public," said the Venezuelan President. Chavez...

The Colombian government should ensure a prompt, independent, and thorough investigation of the killings of 12 members of the Awá indigenous community, and take immediate measures to protect the community, Human Rights Watch said today. Armed men in camouflage broke into a home early on the morning of August 26, 2009, shooting and killing 11 people, including four children and three teenagers, and wounding three more. The killings took place in El Rosario, Tumaco, in the southern border...

Iran brushed off charges raised by Argentine officials against Ahmad Vahidi, the nominee for Defense Minister portfolio, and said Argentine officials’ stances are blatant intervention in Iran’s internal affairs. Foreign Ministry spokesman, Hassan Qashqavi said: “We strongly condemn such an illegal move.” “We recommend that, instead of playing a blame game and propaganda, try to identify real culprits of the terrorist attack that based on the documents and...