Critics fear Chavez plans to arm leftist allies

Critics fear Chavez plans to arm leftist allies
Venezuela building assault-rifle plant

`Mission' for Latin America suspected
Jun. 19, 2006. 01:00 AM
CHRISTOPHER TOOTHAKER
ASSOCIATED PRESS

CARACAS—Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's plans to build the first
Kalashnikov factory in South America are stirring fears Venezuela could
start arming his leftist allies in the hemisphere with Russian assault
rifles.

Chavez denies such ambitions, saying his government bought 100,000
Russian-made AK-103 assault rifles and a licence from Moscow to make
Kalashnikovs and ammunition to bolster its defences against "the most
powerful empire in history" — the United States.

Some political opponents and critics suspect Chavez, a former
paratrooper, has other intentions, such as providing allies like Bolivia
and Cuba with arms while forging an anti-Washington military alliance.

"Our president has always had a warlike mentality, but now it appears
this mentality is turning into a mission that could easily extend to
other parts of Latin America," said William Ojeda, a presidential
candidate who hopes to run against Chavez in the December election.

Chavez has said "Venezuelan blood would run" if the United States tried
to invade Cuba or Bolivia, though he has not said his government would
provide them with weapons.

The Bush administration also is concerned about Chavez's intentions. On
Friday, U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Venezuela
appeared to be in the midst of an "outsized military buildup for a
country of that size and the nature of the threats" in the region.

"They've already purchased 100,000 AK-103 assault rifles from Russia. So
I'm not quite sure what else they might need a factory for," McCormack
said. "It certainly raises serious questions about what their intentions
are."

Chavez vehemently denies Venezuela's recent defence deals, worth an
estimated $2.7 billion (U.S.), constitute a military buildup or that he
poses a threat to regional stability.

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