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Hugo Chavez: Castro's Mini-Me
The
Heritage Foundation,
April 5, 2005.
'One darned thing after another': That's
how former Secretary of State Dean Acheson
once defined foreign policy. The latest
"darned thing" for the United
States is Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
For no apparent reason, the leftist strongman
is arming Venezuela to the teeth. He's also
supporting local narcoterrorists and other
Latin revolutionaries.
Chavez idolizes Cuba's Fidel Castro, is
chummy with Libya's Moammar Khadafy and
was a Saddam Hussein pal. He's made nasty
remarks about President Bush and "suggestive"
public comments about Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice.
According to Gerver Torres, a former Venezuelan
government minister, Chavez's "main
motivation now is to do everything he possibly
can to negatively affect the United States,
Bush in particular . . . trying to bring
together all the enemies of the United States."
It's tempting to write off Chavez simply
as Latin America's latest tin-pot dictator,
but that would be a mistake. Venezuela's
own "Fidelito" has the potential
to cause real trouble for the United States
- right in our own backyard.
Recognizing our economy's Achilles' heel,
Chavez has threatened to cut off oil exports
to the United States. Venezuela is our fourth-largest
source of oil, providing 15 percent of U.S.
oil needs (1.5 million barrels a day). This
threat can't be ignored.
Curtailing exports would push already high
American gas prices through the roof. Cognizant
of this fact, Chavez recently proclaimed:
"We have invaded the United States
but with our oil."
Sure, it would be painful for Venezuela
to cut off the 60 percent of its oil exports
bound for the American market. But Venezuela
is already looking to diversify its oil
clientele beyond Uncle Sam.
Last December, Caracas struck a huge deal
with Beijing for oil and gas sales and investment
in Venezuela's energy sector.
Venezuela is stirring the security pot,
too, sowing fear among its neighbors. From
Russia, Chavez is buying 50 advanced MiG-29
fighters, 40 helicopter gunships and 100,000
AK-47 assault rifles. He's also bought arms
from Spain and Brazil.
A cashiered former army colonel, Chavez
also plans to increase the size of the army
reserve as "an honorable answer to
President Bush's intention of being the
master of the world."
Gen. Bantz Craddock, commander in chief
of the U.S. Southern Command, finds Venezuela's
weapon extravaganza worrisome because Chavez's
motives are unclear. "We're wondering
just what the intent here is," the
general told the Senate in recent testimony.
One of Washington's main concerns is the
possibility of a conventional war between
Venezuela and its neighbor Colombia, the
U.S.'s main regional ally. At a minimum,
Venezuela's oil-induced buying binge could
set off a regional arms race.
There's also the possibility that some
of el presidente's new "toys,"
especially the AK-47s and ammunition, could
fall into the hands of Colombian FARC narcoterrorists.
The FARC is seeking to overthrow the government
of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. Caracas
received some $3 billion in U.S. assistance
over the last several years to support its
fight against narcotraffickers and leftist
rebel groups.
Chavez is rumored to be supporting the
FARC, letting it use the Colombian-Venezuelan
border area to recuperate and resupply.
Elsewhere, Chavez is mentoring Bolivian
revolutionary Evo Morales, whose comrades
recently tried to force President Carlos
Mesa's resignation in an effort to take
control of the National Assembly.
In Peru, it's been alleged that Chavez
bankrolled the rogue army officer who tried
to incite December's rebellion against President
Alejandro Toledo. Chavez denies all of this,
of course.
Many Americans will find it hard to take
Chavez seriously, but his capacity for regional
troublemaking shouldn't be discounted, especially
as oil prices rocket.
Fortunately, the Bush administration recognizes
this and is beginning to craft a new policy
to deal with Chavez. The best approach will
include working with other regional leaders
to contain and isolate him, while not inflaming
the dictator's popular support at home.
Chavez recently announced his intent to
export his "Bolivarian revolution"
(read: Cuban revolution). Considering his
disastrous socialist economic and repressive
political record at home, we'd better stop
him before he gets started.
Peter Brookes is a Heritage Foundation
senior fellow. E-mail: peterbrookes@heritage.org
First appeared in the New York Post
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- 2005 The Heritage Foundation. All Rights
Reserved.
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