Minister: The US is blocking shipment of weapon parts to Venezuela

[Judi Lynn]

Source: El Universal - opposition newspaper

Caracas, Tuesday April 01 , 2008
Minister: The US is blocking shipment of weapon parts to Venezuela

Venezuela needs to purchase weapons because some equipment are obsolete due to wear and tear, and because there is "a sort of US blockade" preventing the shipment of spare parts to Venezuela, Tuesday said Defense minister General Gustavo Rangel Briceño in Montevideo.

"Right now, we have a large amount of obsolete equipment, partly because of wear and tear," such as the Belgian-made light automatic rifles, or FAL, "which are more than 50 years old." Other equipment are obsolete "because there is a sort of blockade that is being imposed upon us," said Rangel in a press conference.

"We are not receiving spare parts for F-16 aircraft from the US; we cannot carry out training schedules; and even existing contracts for supply of equipment have been breached," said Rangel, as quoted by AFP.

"Thus, we have had to turn to other weapon systems (…) We have already purchased (…) Russian-made Sukhoi planes," he added.



Read more: http://english.eluniversal.com/2008/04/01/en_pol_art_minister:-the-us-is_01A1480719.shtml

[provis99]

1. trade embargos don't work

I'm sure Chavez will be happy to buy all the weapons he wants from Russia, while simultaneously giving American defense industries the middle finger.

[movonne]

2. We are so blocking the food supply going into Venezuela...

[bluesmail]

3. how WILL they protect their country when * invades it?

[Joe Chi Minh]

4. See post #1.

[damntexdem]

9. Dubya and what army?

Were Dubya to invade Venezuela, he'd probably turn up AWOL in Brazil. ;-)

[madrchsod]

5. the bush bots are`t stopping citgo

from selling fuel oil,diesel, and gasoline..

this is the third year of the citgo fuel/heating oil give away in the usa

:applause:

[Psephos]

6. That will work about as well as Venezuela stopping oil sales to US

Neither the oil nor the weapons trade is a monopoly nor a monopsony.

[Ordr]

7. Good. Let them fight their own wars.

I'm sick of the US supporting everyone when we can't afford to support ourselves.

[damntexdem]

8. Uh, Venezuela is a customer. They have the cash to pay for what they buy.

The U.S. is losing a market.

[Judi Lynn]

10. You silly poster! Venezuela has assisted American people in a number of states

and a large number of Native American tribes, with deep discounts so they can afford heating oil for the winter, all arranged by Democratic Congresspeople, governors, mayors, tribal leaders, etc., AFTER U.S. oil companies told them all to go pound sand when they appealed to them originally for winter heating discounts several years ago.

The poster before me was correct in reminding you Venezuela has NOT been receiving #### from the US as a donation. They have been doing business with US firms working on their PROFIT PRICIPLE, thank you!

What ARE you using for a brain these days?