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Caracas, Wednesday April 06 , 2005 |
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Caracas, Wednesday April 06 , 2005 |
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Rumsfeld lashes out at sale of Spanish arms to Venezuela
US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld assailed the Spanish government decision to sell military aircraft and patrols to Venezuela during an interview published Wednesday, arguing that he could not imagine why President Hugo Chávez needed the equipment. "I personally think that Spain is making a mistake," Rumsfeld said during the interview with The Miami Herald, as quoted by AP. "Time will show. The problem is, if we wait for time to show, an unfortunate history may result," he pointed out. Spanish government president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero announced during a visit last month to Venezuela the sale of eight patrols and ten transportation aircrafts. Spanish officials have downplayed the US concern about a potential arms race in the hemisphere. Rumsfeld, who completed last March 25 an official tour to Argentina, Brazil and Guatemala, also feared the sale of 100,000 Russian automatic rifles to Venezuela. "I wonder what are they going to do with them." Chávez has stated that Washington does not need to worry and clarified that Venezuela bought new equipment just to replace obsolete weaponry. Rumsfeld refrained from making any comments concerning the remarks of other US officials about the potential use of Venezuelan arms by the Colombian guerrilla. |
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