Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez Jan. 27 urged his allies to form an "anti-imperialist" military alliance to defend Latin America from potential attack by the United States. Speaking on his weekly TV program Aló Presidente, he called upon Bolivia, Cuba and Nicaragua to unite with Venezuela and "work to form a joint defense strategy and start joining our armed forces, air forces, armies, navies, national guards, and intelligence forces. Because the enemy is the same, the empire... Anybody who messes with one of us will have to mess with all of us because we will respond as one."

Chávez again reiterated claims that neighboring Colombia is preparing a military provocation against his country. "We are sure the Colombian government is following the line that Washington dictates," Chávez said.

Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega, who accompanied Chávez on the program, added that US officials are using Colombia as a strategic pawn in an effort to counter regional integration initiatives championed by Chávez. "This isn't just against Venezuela, it's against the integration process," said Ortega, who was in Caracas for the summit meeting of the Chávez-led Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA). (AP, Jan. 29; VenezuelAnalysis, Jan. 28)

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