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Chavez vows to resist U.S.

Julian Borger

Washington: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has said he would resist an ``imperialist attack'' after Washington announced it would pursue an ``inoculation strategy'' against his Government by creating a united front against its policies.

The rhetoric reflected a rapid deterioration in relations between the two countries after Venezuelan espionage allegations against the U.S. and tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice used her harshest language to date in testimony to Congress on Thursday in which she called Venezuela and Cuba ``sidekicks'' of Iran, and launched a campaign to rally international opposition to the Chavez Government.

Ms Rice said the campaign amounted to ``an inoculation strategy'' against Venezuela, which she accused of ``attempting to influence neighbours away from democratic processes''. She said: ``We're working with others to try to make certain that there is a kind of united front against some of the kinds of things that Venezuela gets involved in.'' As an example, Ms Rice cited Nicaragua, where U.S. officials suspect Venezuela of backing an alliance of former Presidents Daniel Ortega and Arnoldo Aleman with the alleged aim of destabilising the pro-American Government of Enrique Bolanos. —

© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2004

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