Chavez calls Condoleezza Rice an "illiterate" following sharp criticism [View All]

[kskiska]

CARACAS (AFP) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez dismissed US National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites) as a "true illiterate" for accusing him of not playing a constructive role in Latin America.

Chavez said he asked Cuban leader Fidel Castro (news - web sites) to mail to Rice samples of books that Venezuela is using, with Cuban support, for literacy education, to "see if she learns to respect the dignity of the people and learns a bit about us."

Speaking at an official event in Caracas, Chavez said that Rice "fired her unworthy artillery against our people" by saying that he should not oppose the referendum that seeks to oust him from power.

In Washington on Friday, Rice said that "there are roles that Venezuela has played that have not been very helpful."

Rice cited tensions between Venezuela and neighboring Colombia as well as Chavez's good relations with Castro, who has outlasted successive US presidents for four decades.

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