(Bloomberg) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said the U.S. and Colombian governments have made a "pact for war" with a deal to allow American troops to use facilities at seven military bases.
Chavez said the U.S. will use technology installed at the bases to spy and plan attacks on strategic targets in Venezuela, and that President Barack Obama is following the same path as his predecessor, George W. Bush.
You know, O, if you're going to be condemned for acting like W, mayhaps you could, you know, go ahead and act like W ... | "We've condemned the war pact between the governments of Uribe and Obama," Chavez said in comments on state television, referring to Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. "It's a pact for war, a diabolic pact, and they lie to their people."
Venezuela, the largest oil producer in Latin America, must prepare for the defense of the country by reorganizing the armed forces and arming civil militias due to the threat of a U.S. invasion from Colombian territory, Chavez said.
Colombian officials say that the military agreement is designed to fight drug-trafficking in the Andean nation and have filed complaints over Chavez's comments with the United Nations and Organization of American States.
Relations between Venezuela and Colombia have deteriorated this year after Uribe accused Chavez of financing and supplying leftist Colombian rebels.
Chavez ordered an increase of troops along the 2,000- kilometer (1,250-mile) border between Venezuela and Colombia last week and said he may declare a state of emergency after two officials from the National Guard were shot and killed by unidentified Colombians. |