Chávez backs Russian fleet in the Caribbean

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez last Sunday announced "the possibility" that a Russian fleet visits the Caribbean, and particularly Venezuela. Chávez disclosed the plan cautiously, as opposed to his remarks late in July that Russian military bases would be established in Latin America, which Moscow denied later.

"Russia has advised us of the plan to visit Venezuela, that is to say, of the plan that a Russian fleet comes to the Caribbean," Chávez said in his weekly radio and TV program Aló, Presidente.

"I told President (Dmitri Medvedev), 'if you are coming to the Caribbean, we will welcome you," Chávez said, adding that the Russian naval fleet would pay "a friendly and working" visit to Venezuela. "They will be welcomed in Venezuelan waters," said the Venezuelan ruler in his show broadcasted from the Air Force military base Captain Manuel Ríos, in the city of El Sombrero, Guárico state, 250 km south of Caracas.

Chávez complained that the United States is "plotting" to prevent sales of spare parts for Hercules airplanes. The Venezuelan president said that he pondering the possibility to buy Russian Antonov aircraft and submarines.

On the economic front, Chávez announced that midnight Monday 18 is the deadline for the nationalization of the cement companies. The Venezuelan government intends to resume control of Mexico's Cemex, France's Lafarge and Switzerland's Holcim.

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Works flying high

05:09 PM. Economy. If any country has cashed in on the Bolivarian revolution, that is Brazil, particularly the private companies of the southern neighbor. Over the past five years, it has been awarded contracts for works to be carried out in Venezuela for over USD 14 billion. This puts it as the first recipient of government-to-government contracts, that is, without bidding, since Hugo Chávez took office.