Russia and Venezuela solidify friendship

By Melissa Bryant
Reporter~SKNVibes.com

CARACAS, Venezuela – WITH Venezuela’s increased purchase of Russian weapons, the Latin American country is set to sign a contract in the near future with Russia for the purchase of armoured personnel vehicles.

According to Caribbean Net News, Strategic Operations Command Chief General Jesus Gonzales has said that the weapons, which include armoured personnel vehicles and tanks, are to replace aging weaponry and to improve the country’s security and defence capabilities.

The move is another sign of the burgeoning friendship between these two states, which stated that they have forged closer ties by deepening their economic and military cooperation.

President Hugo Chavez supported the Russian offence in South Ossetia and hosted a visit by Russian bomber planes to Venezuela earlier this month, while Russia announced last month that it was making a one billion dollar loan available to Venezuela to cover purchases of arms and military equipment from Russian manufacturers.~~Adz:Right~~

Venezuela has already bought 24 Sukhoi fighter jets, 50 helicopters and 100 000 Kalashnikov assault rifles from Russia. The two countries have discussed nuclear energy cooperation and are planning joint naval exercises in the Caribbean in November.

US military chiefs have expressed their concern over the military build-up in Venezuela, with the US State Department issuing a statement that it would be watching the Russian-Venezuelan naval exercises “very closely”.