(eca148): Globetrotting Chavez cozies up to USfoes (News Feature)

By Helmut Reuter Oct 22, 2010, 22:05 GMT

Caracas/Damascus/Sao Paulo - The itinerary of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez must seem, at least in part, like a 'who's who' of rogue state chiefs to US government officials.

Chavez rubbed shoulders with authoritarian Belarussian President Aleksandr Lukashenko in Minsk, fraternized again in Tehran with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, demonstrated harmony in Damascus with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad and was also to include Libya for a tete-a-tete with Colonel Moamer el-Gaddafi Saturday.

None of the above exactly enjoys a reputation as a model democrat.

The jam-packed international tour - seven countries in 10 days - has also included Russia and Ukraine with a final stop in European Union member Portugal.

The sharpest critic of the United States among South America's leaders, Chavez is seeking allies for his project of '21st century socialism.'

And finding them, too.

Russia is Venezuela's principal arms supplier, granting billions of dollars in credits that allow the country to fill its arsenals. Venezuela has Kalashnikovs, helicopters and fighter aircraft already. On its shopping list now are tanks and rocket launchers.

Chavez and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev struck a deal in Moscow that will help Venezuela build its first nuclear power plant.

'Don't be afraid. Don't worry. It'll be a small reactor and not for military purposes,' said Chavez in anticipation of international unease.

The Caracas-Moscow axis is strong, especially since Venezuela did Russia a favour by recognizing the independence of the breakaway Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia after the brief 2008 Russia-Georgia war.

Besides Russia itself, the only other countries to do so have been Nicaragua and the South Pacific island of Nauru.

Chavez is almost a regular guest in Tehran and Damascus. It was his ninth visit to Iran and third to Syria.

The lively shuttle diplomacy goes both ways. Assad was in Caracas as recently as June and Ahmadinejad in November 2009. As for Gaddafi, he travelled to Venezuela's Caribbean island of Margarita in September last year, bringing his Bedouin tent.

During the course of his trip, Chavez has not lost sight of the big picture for a minute.

'We're in a position to vanquish Western imperialism and create a more balanced world,' he asserted in Damascus.

His message in Tehran was similar: 'Imperialism has entered a decisive phase of decline. No matter how much it resists - despite the swipes of its paws and the threats that it issues - it's headed, like elephants, to its graveyard.'

To secure Venezuela's place in the 'new world order,' Chavez has sought to expand trade ties and cement strategic alliances. His latest tour has also produced many agreements.

Venezuela has shown interest in Ukraine's Antonov cargo and passenger aircraft. It plans to form a joint shipping venture with Iran for delivery of Venezuelan crude oil.

Both Iran and Belarus are helping with housing construction. And Venezuela aims to help fund construction of an oil refinery in Syria expected to open in 2012, when Venezuela holds presidential elections.

Despite United Nations sanctions against Iran's nuclear activities, Chavez has promised Tehran full support. He demands the return to Syria of the Golan Heights, occupied by Israel, and he declares his solidarity with the Palestinians.

From all of his partners, Chavez receives praise. 'I swear we'll do so much for Venezuela that you'll never regret our good relations,' Lukashenko effused.

Concord across the board.

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