In Latin America, Venezuela has been a welcome thorn in the side of the Bush administration for some time. President Hugo Chavez has consistently accused the US of meddling in his country’s affairs, even suggesting that the Americans are trying to assassinate him. His is a country with massive social and political problems and, most importantly for the West, vast oil reserves.
Washington is now selling further weapons to Chile, Colombia and Pakistan, in a move largely seen in the region as attempting to isolate Venezuela. One of the likely effects, however, is the start of a new arms race.