US-Venezuela: McCain hardens anti-Chávez stance in campaign

Republican candidate for President of the United States John McCain said that he is "weary of giving money to Hugo Chávez."

McCain made these statements when he referred to US dependence on Venezuelan oil, as reported by news television network CNN.

The senator from Arizona also said to a group of journalists: "I want to reiterate that we have the largest coal reserves in the word. It is a vital part of our future. We have to stop sending our money abroad, because some of the money ends up in the hands of terrorist organizations."

In this sense, he expressed his concern and rejection to the fact that the US is "sending" money to Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez for the purchase of oil barrels.

The Republican candidate also said that if elected president, his government would invest in alternative energy sources like nuclear energy and clean sources of energy based on coal, oil and natural gas.  

This proposal is one of the few in which he and his Democrat rival, Barack Obama, agree. Obama has also criticized the US energy dependency on governments such as Venezuela's. 

Palin also criticizes Chávez

In addition to McCain's statements, Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin said that Hugo Chávez was a "dictator" and mentioned that "one option to deal with him is through the "imposition of sanctions," as reported by Spanish newspaper El País.  

Despite her rejection of Chávez, the governor of Alaska opposed to a military intervention against Venezuela. "Military action must always be the last resort for any problem and challenge the US may face around the world," said Palin, who added that she and McCain hate war and love peace.