Chavez slams ‘very bad signals’ from Obama to Iran

Obama told his first news conference after winning the US presidential election on November 4 that Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons was “unacceptable.”

He also said that he would “respond appropriately” to a congratulatory letter from Ahmadinejad. Chavez has tense relations with the United States, despite being one of its main suppliers of crude oil.

Venezuela expelled the US ambassador to Caracas in September and Washington responded in kind. Chavez said that the United States is “the empire that kills, bombs and assassinates. If Obama can convert that infernal machine into a machine that benefits the world, I think that would be a lot to hope for”.

“We only aspire to respect. Hopefully he’ll surround himself with good advisors, that he honours his colour, his origin that he remembers where he comes from. His wife is black, what beautiful children they have,” the fierce leader said.

“Hopefully they’re not going to kill Obama, but that murdering machinery is capable of anything,” Chavez added.