Chavez: Venezuela to buy more tanks over US threat [View All]

[Bacchus39]

Source: AP



CARACAS, Venezuela – President Hugo Chavez said Wednesday his government will buy dozens of Russian tanks because Venezuela feels threatened by a pending deal for the U.S. military to increase its presence in neighboring Colombia.

Chavez announced the plan for to boost Venezuela's military while condemning Colombia's negotiations on an agreement to let U.S. forces use at least seven of its military bases.

"We're going to buy several battalions of Russian tanks," Chavez said at a news conference with international correspondents, saying the deal is among accords he hopes to conclude during a visit to Russia in September.

Chavez's government has already bought more than $4 billion worth of Russian arms since 2005, including helicopters, fighter jets and Kalashnikov assault rifles.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090805/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_venezuela_colombia