Venezuela's Ignorant Chavez - The Diigo Meta page

• 21 Jul 08
  

  liveinfreedom .

  -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez heads to Moscow today to shop for air defense systems, submarines and other weaponry as Latin America's arms race quickens amid signs that his regional influence is waning.

  chavez russia weapons economy emkpire america

  • Chavez will order $2 billion worth of weapons, including Project 636 diesel subs, Mi-28 combat helicopters and airplanes made by Ilyushin Co., the Russian newspaper Kommersant reported May 12, without saying how it obtained the information. The Russian Interfax news service, citing an unnamed defense ministry official, said today Chavez may order $1 billion of weapons, including three Varshavyanka subs and up to 20 Tor-M1 air-defense systems.
  • He says the hardware, including jets and submarines, is needed to counter a military threat from the U.S. and its main regional ally, Colombia.
  • Russia last year announced plans to build two factories to make Kalashnikov assault rifles in Venezuela.
  • Uribe has been increasing military pressure on the FARC since becoming president in 2002, with the help of $5 billion in military assistance from the U

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