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Chavez plans to arm one million people

United States is likely to invade Venezuela, says President

Caracas: President Hugo Chavez said he was considering the purchase of enough rifles to arm one million Venezuelans ready to repel a possible U.S. invasion.

During a speech warning his supporters that Washington was considering an invasion of Venezuela, Mr. Chavez on Saturday said 100,000 Russian-built Kalashnikov assault rifles would not be enough to defend the country.

``We still need a higher number of rifles. The 100,000 Russian rifles are not enough, Venezuela needs to have one million well-armed men and women,'' he said.

Contacts established

``I've started making contacts with some countries'' that would be able to supply the rifles, Mr. Chavez told the crowd of supporters to a rousing applause.

Tensions between Washington and Caracas have been tense in recent months in part due to U.S. criticism of Venezuela's purchases of military equipment, including 100,000 Russian-made assault rifles. During the marathon speech, Mr. Chavez extended his war of words with Washington, comparing U.S. President George W Bush to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler while commemorating a failed 1992 coup he led as a lieutenant colonel. ``If any President in this world is similar, including physically, to Adolf Hitler it is Mr. Danger,'' said Mr. Chavez, prompting cheers from his supporters following a march through Caracas. ``The imperialist, mass murdering, fascist attitude of the President of the United States doesn't have limits. I think Hitler could be a nursery baby next to George W Bush,'' Mr. Chavez added.

Move to the Left

Earlier, receiving a U.N. prize handed over by Fidel Castro on Friday, Mr. Chavez said Washington was right to be concerned by Latin America's tilt to the left because it represents a threat to the U.S. ``empire.'' Mr. Chavez was visiting Havana amid an intensifying propaganda war between Washington and Latin America's leftist leaders. U.S. Defence Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld compared Mr. Chavez to Adolf Hitler and warned darkly on Thursday about populist leadership in Bolivia and Cuba.

``They are right to be worried, because they know what's happening here,'' Mr. Chavez said in a speech lasting nearly three hours after accepting his prize. — AP

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