Politics
The Venezuelan government will keep on buying weapons from Russia, China or Belarus over the next years to be "strong enough" to defend its territory and protect its oil from countries such as the United States, said General Jesús González, in charge of the Operational Strategic Command.

"Venezuela's foe is anyone purporting to set a foot here. And I do not doubt that the Americans want to come here in search of oil. We must be prepared. If you want peace, get ready for war," the military chief told AFP during an interview.

Responsible for analyzing the country's needs of defense and further estimating the purchase of weapons, General González is eager to organize "purely defensive, better equipped and trained armed forces."

"We want to be very strong, but in a purely dissuasive direction. Any country in the world should think, not once, but ten times, before coming here," he added.