Venezuela buys powerful missiles with Russian loan

Hugo Chavez , with all his crazy ambitions could be the Next Kim Jong Il .
And Russia is still working very hard at getting it's hold on part's of south America .
And Russia has a problem with us putting up a Missile defense shield in Parts of Europe ?

CARACAS (Reuters) - Russia has agreed to lend Venezuela over $2 billion to purchase tanks and advanced anti-aircraft missiles in deals that show Moscow's commitment to working closely with Washington-foe President Hugo Chavez.

Chavez said on Sunday the purchases agreed upon on a trip to Moscow last week included 92 tanks and an S-300 missile system that can shoot down fighter jets and cruise missiles.

Two years ago, Russia agreed to sell the same S-300 system to Iran but has dragged its feet over delivering the weapons amid U.S. and Israeli concerns they will be used to defend Iran's nuclear installations.

The socialist Chavez, who claims the United States could attack Venezuela for its oil reserves, also reiterated that Moscow was helping Venezuela develop nuclear energy but said he had no intention of developing an atomic bomb.

"Let me be clear, Venezuela has no plans to invade anybody, or to be aggressive toward anybody," Chavez said on his weekly television show after announcing the $2.2 billion loan. He did not say how much the new weapons cost.
In recent years, Venezuela has bought over $4 billion in weapons from Russia including 24 Sukhoi fighter jets. Critics say Venezuela is fueling an arms race in Latin America, but Chavez says he is modernizing the military for defensive purposes.

Last year, he ordered tanks to the Colombian border in a dispute over a Colombian bombing raid in Ecuadorean territory.

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