| | |  Americas & Beyond | March 2009 
Chavez Clashes with US on Human Rights
 Associated Press
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| | Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez attends a Catholic mass in Caracas February 27, 2009. Chavez attended the mass to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the bloody "Caracazo" riots. (Reuters/Miraflores Palace) | |
Caracas, Venezuela — President Hugo Chavez ratcheted up his rhetoric against Washington on Friday following the release of State Department reports on drug trafficking and human rights problems in Venezuela.
The Venezuelan leader's barbs suggested relations will continue to be rocky even though both he and President Barack Obama have expressed willingness to meet.
"Obama should recognize before the world that rights are being violated in his own country and do something to solve it before accusing us... using lies and cynicism," Chavez told reporters.
The State Department's report cited a politicized judiciary in Venezuela, widespread corruption and harassment of the political opposition and the news media, among other problems.
Chavez said the United States is more of a human rights violator than Venezuela.
"I don't care what Obama and his secretary of state say. Let them be cynical," Chavez said.
Asked about a possible meeting with Obama at an Americas summit in Trinidad in April, Chavez said: "I don't have great expectations. ... It doesn't matter to me a bit whether Obama is there or not."
Chavez did not respond to another State Department report slamming Venezuela for its lack of cooperation in counter-drug efforts. Venezuela is a major conduit for Colombian cocaine, and the State Department said drug trafficking in the country had shot up fivefold since 2002, from 50 metric tons to an estimated 250 metric tons in 2007.
Chavez has said Venezuela is fighting drug trafficking and that Washington is blowing the issue out of proportion for political purposes. |
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