Chavez: Venezuela expecting delivery of rockets from Russia after signing military agreements

September 18th, 2009 Brazil's Lula defends South America arms buildupBRASILIA, Brazil — Major military weapons purchases by Brazil and Venezuela won't spur an arms race in South America and are necessary to protect borders and natural resources, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Friday. Silva also downplayed concerns raised this week from U.S.

September 17th, 2009 CARACAS - Chinese and Russian companies have agreed to invest a combined $36 billion in oil projects in the Orinoco Belt, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has said. The president said state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela S.A.

September 15th, 2009 CARACAS - President Hugo Chavez said a recent huge natural gas find off Venezuela's Caribbean coast underscores the need to bolster the Andean nation's defences against US "imperialism". Spain's Repsol YPF said last Friday that the Perla I well, discovered in partnership with Italy's Eni, could contain between 7 trillion and 8 trillion cubic feet of gas.

September 14th, 2009 US worried about Venezuelan arms buildupWASHINGTON — A U.S. official said Monday that Venezuelan arms acquisitions could spark an arms race in Latin America and he also expressed misgivings about the country's possible nuclear ambitions.

September 13th, 2009 Venezuela gets $2.2B in credit for Russian armsCARACAS, Venezuela — Russia has opened a $2.2 billion line of credit for Venezuela to purchase weapons including armored vehicles and surface-to-air missiles, President Hugo Chavez said Sunday. Venezuela is buying more arms because it feels threatened by Colombia's decision to give U.S.

September 5th, 2009 TEHRAN - Visiting Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Saturday agreed on a roadmap over the next 10 years to boost economic and military ties between the two countries. Chavez is heading a business delegation to Iran as part of his two-day visit to the Islamic country.

August 18th, 2009 CARACAS - The purchase of Russian tanks will be among the several agreements to be signed between Moscow and Caracas during the visit of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez in September, according to media reports. Local media reports quoted Chavez as saying Monday that the purchase of the tanks was part of a modernisation plan for the National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela.

August 16th, 2009 BOGOTA - Colombia hopes to sign a controversial pact with Washington that would allow US military forces to use up to seven bases on its territory, authorities have said. A source linked to Colombia's defence ministry told EFE Saturday that negotiations regarding the pact were wrapped up in Washington Friday and President Alvaro Uribe's government was expecting the pact to be formally signed "in two weeks".

August 16th, 2009 Chavez: Venezuela to strengthen ties with alliesCARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez says Venezuela's ties with nations like Russia and China have gained importance as the U.S. moves to expand its military presence in Latin America.

August 5th, 2009 Chavez: Venezuela to buy more tanksCARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez says his government plans to buy dozens of tanks because Venezuela feels threatened by pending deal to increase the U.S. military presence in Colombia.

July 29th, 2009 Chavez recalls Venezuela's envoy to ColombiaCARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez recalled Venezuela's ambassador to Colombia and froze diplomatic relations with the neighboring country Tuesday to protest Bogota's suggestions that weapons found in a rebel arms cache could have come from Venezuela. Chavez accused the government of President Alvaro Uribe of acting "irresponsibly," saying there is no evidence the Swedish-made anti-tank rocket launchers that Colombia says its military seized came from Venezuela.

July 24th, 2009 Venezuela upset by pending US-Colombia pactCARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez says Colombia should not underestimate Venezuela's concerns over the neighboring country's decision to forge stronger military ties with the United States. From Venezuela's point of view, Chavez said Thursday, it's like "opening your house for your neighbor's enemy." Colombian officials have said Venezuela should not be concerned by a pact being negotiated to let U.S.

July 2nd, 2009 US ambassador returns to Venezuela after spatCARACAS, Venezuela — The U.S. ambassador to Venezuela has returned to his post — more than nine months after he was expelled by President Hugo Chavez.

June 28th, 2009 Chavez to US general: You're the threat, not usCARACAS, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez says a U.S. general shouldn't be raising concerns that Venezuela is buying arms, and the American commander is wrong to argue there isn't a "conventional military threat in the region." Chavez says the U.S.

May 4th, 2009 CARACAS - A Venezuelan military helicopter crashed near the country's border with Colombia killing 18 soldiers, President Hugo Chavez said Sunday. One general, 16 soldiers and one civilian died in the crash, Chavez said on Alo Presidente (Hello President), his weekly broadcast to the nation.