Caracas -
President Hugo Chavez warned on Tuesday that “radicalising the revolution” was the only way to fend off a US “threat”, in an address to Venezuela's legislature.
“There must be no room in our ranks, civilian or military, for weakness. Just one line of thought: radicalising the revolution. That must be how we respond to the imperial threat,” Chavez told lawmakers.
Chavez referred to the case of Guillermo Zuloaga, head of Globovision, an outspoken critic of the president who fled the country after a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Zuloaga, who testified about press freedoms in Venezuela last week at a US congressional hearing, is charged with usury and racketeering but denies any wrongdoing.
“Venezuela's bourgeoisie has to learn that it will pay dearly for its aggression against the people, and that it won't just get away with having one of its representatives go off to the US Congress to attack Venezuela, while keeping a TV station here,” Chavez said.
If the United States attacks Venezuela, Chavez said, there will be people “prepared to die for the fatherland and their dignity”. - Sapa-AFP