Washington bans arms sales to Chávez

The US finally reacted to goading by the Venezuelan President, Hugo Chávez, by slapping a full arms ban on the country on May 15, claiming it had failed to cooperate in the fight against terrorism. Janelle Hironimus, a state department spokeswoman, said Venezuela had forged close relations with Iran and Cuba, both classified by the US as state sponsors of terrorism. She said: "Venezuela has publicly championed the Iraqi insurgency." Chávez, in London on a two-day private visit, dismissed suggestions that he supported terrorism. He told the Guardian: "Washington has said I am a modern-day Hitler." The Bush administration had accused him of terrorism because it was unhappy with his government's success, he said. "They are very concerned, that is why they say these things." He brushed aside the arms embargo, saying "this doesn't matter to us at all." Venezuela would not respond with punitive measures against the US, he said. The US was "an irrational empire" that "has a great capacity to do harm." Among reasons given for the ban, the state department referred to Venezuela's "nearly total lack of cooperation with antiterrorist efforts over the past year" and claimed that it provided a safe haven for Colombian "narco-terrorists." The US, according to the latest congressional figures, sold $8 million in arms to Venezuela in 2004, mainly pistols, rifles, ammunition and riot-control equipment, and $51 million in the three years prior to that. But it will try to put the squeeze on other countries that have been engaged in arms sales to Venezuela worth billions. Hironimus said the arms ban would apply to new equipment and spare parts. She said Venezuela would feel the impact when it wanted to buy parts for its planes. Relations between the US and Venezuela have deteriorated sharply since Chávez became president. Chávez has described Bush as a "terrorist" and criticized the invasion of Iraq. He has claimed that the US may invade Venezuela, and that it has bought planes from Brazil, ships from Spain and helicopters and assault rifles from Russia. When announcing the ban, the US made no mention of oil. It is a big importer of Venezuelan oil and cannot afford to cut off that supply. But the arms ban highlights the extent to which the US is being challenged by Venezuela and Bolivia. A string of elections in Latin America has tipped the balance towards left-wing or centrist governments. Venezuela denies aiding Colombian terrorists and claims it has cooperated with the Colombian government. But the state department claims two Colombian guerrilla groups, FARC and the National Liberation Army, operate out of safe areas in Venezuela, which they use for rest and resupply "with little concern they will be pursued by Venezuelan security forces." Hironimus said: "Weapons and ammunitions from official Venezuelan stockpiles and facilities had turned up in the hands of Colombian-based terrorists." The state department also referred to Venezuela's challenges to UN Security Council resolutions setting out steps countries had to take to stop weapons of mass destruction and terrorism. The day after Washington made its announcement, Venezuela said it is considering selling its fleet of 21 US-made F-16 fighter jets to another country, perhaps Iran. Gen. Alberto Muller, a senior adviser to Chávez, said he thought it was worthwhile to consider "the feasibility of a negotiation with Iran for the sale of those planes." Chávez had previously warned he might share the US jets with Cuba if Washington did not supply parts for the planes. He had also said he might look into buying fighter jets from Russia or China instead.