Politics
Venezuela was granted a USD 2.2 billion credit from Russia to purchase weapons, announced on Sunday President Hugo Chávez, during his weekly radio and TV show Aló Presidente (339th) broadcast from the Ayacucho Hall of the Palace of Miraflores, the official seat of Venezuela's Presidency.

"Thanks to the support of the Russian President (Dmitry Medvedev) and the Prime Minister (Vladimir Putin), the purchase of arms aimed at boosting our defense capabilities has become viable," said Chávez. He added that his government has no plans to invade or attack any country.

The defense arsenal to be purchased by Caracas includes vehicle-mounted Russian Antey 2500 surface-to-air missile systems, Russian-made Buk M2 and Pechora air defense systems, 300-millimeter Smerch multiple launch rocket anti-aircraft systems as well as 92 Soviet-era T-72 battle tanks.

The Head of State said that the government must ensure that the Bolivarian Armed Forces are well equipped, because Venezuela has vast energy deposits and the "Yankee Empire" is interested in controlling them.

Besides the military agreements, Chávez highlighted that another major achievement of his international tour held last week was the consolidation of an independent international policy and the promotion of a multipolar world.

"Venezuela never had (an independent) foreign policy since its foreign policy was dictated from Washington. Now, we are free," Chávez asserted.

The Venezuelan ruler said that the expenditures made during the diplomatic tour of Spain, Italy, Russia, Belarus and Turkmenistan are justified in the budget item allocated by the Ministry of Finance for foreign policy activities.

"We are not traveling around the world on a whim (...) We always try to save money. However, it is impossible to travel without spending (some money). On the other hand, there is a budget," Chávez replied to people who have criticized his stay at the luxurious hotel Das Bein in Venice, when he attended the Venice Film Festival.

Chávez mentioned the questions asked by a Spanish reporter in Madrid about political prisoners in Venezuela. He said that they are not in jail for dissenting but under suspicion of corruption.

Later, he referred to Raúl Baduel, the former Minister of Defense, but without naming him. "I am very sorry about what happened to someone who could have been a leader of this process. However, he has been unable to justify the destination of billions of Venezuelan bolivars spent during his administration. He is in jail on corruption charges. He is not in prison because I am pursuing him. I held out my hand to him a thousand times," Chávez added.

Translated by Gerardo Cárdenas

Rebeca Fernández
EL UNIVERSAL