Venezuela boosts military might

Venezuela boosts military might
Mon, 04 Aug 2008 06:59:28

Venezuela's president says purchase of '24 Sukoi' fighter planes will enable Caracas to defend the country against any kind of threat.

Hugo Chavez on his weekly TV address on Sunday, warned the US against flying near Venezuelan waters.   "If the 4th fleet wants to pass from here, I don't know how they will pass, with our missiles - where they will pass? They will not pass, forget about that," Chavez said.   "We complete the fleet of Sukoi with our pilots, our crew and our missiles. We have started to shoot our missiles. If you shoot it from here it will arrive at the Caribbean, we have a large arm now," he added.

Despite the announcement of new defense measures, Chavez said Venezuela had no plans to "attack anybody", AP reported.  "I hope the next government of United States could understand what's going on in Latin America, it's a revolution. You have to thank God and history that it's a peaceful revolution but not a disarmed revolution," he concluded. BGA/MMN 

The Fourth Fleet was active during World War II but was dissolved in 1950. The U.S. Navy announced it would re-establish the fleet to direct naval forces in the Caribbean and Latin America. US. officials deny Washington has designs on Venezuela