Chavez sends Brazil sulfur for 'devil' Bush visit
|
| Published on Thursday, February 22, 2007 |
Email To Friend Print Version |
AYACUCHO BLOCK 6, Venezuela (Reuters): Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who mocked George W. Bush as the devil in a UN speech, said on Wednesday he was sending sulfur to Brazil for the US president's visit there next month.
During a tour of an oil reserve with his Argentine counterpart Nestor Kirchner, Chavez held up a small vial of the pale-yellow element and said he would send to their fellow leftist ally and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Echoing his mock complaint last year at the UN General assembly, that the podium reeked of the substance after a Bush speech, Chavez said, "It smells of sulfur here, comrade."
"I am going to send this vial to Lula for when the little gentleman comes so that he can place it out there in Brasilia," Chavez said with a laugh.
Venezuela says Bush hopes to divide the region and try to turn allies against Chavez during a tour next month of several Latin American countries, including economic and diplomatic powerhouse Brazil.
The United States, which clashes with Chavez over everything from free trade to democracy to arms sales, says it seeks to work with partners in the region but that Venezuela has repeatedly refused to cooperate over such issues as drugs.
Despite the antagonism, Venezuela is the No. 4 supplier of crude to the United States, which in turn is the OPEC nation's top customer. |
|
