Changes

According to the ''Washington Post'' Chavez has been accused of supplying weapons to Colombian rebels, of financing Bolivian and Ecuadorian groups seeking to establish "Marxist'' states, and of being, with Cuban leader Fidel Castro's guidance, a "subversive'' everywhere else in the region.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/25/AR2005082501420.html?nav=rss_world/centralamerica ''Dealing With the Good and Bad Hugo Chavez''], Marcela Sanchez The Washington Post 25 August 2005.</ref>

According to the ''Washington Post'' Chavez has been accused of supplying weapons to Colombian rebels, of financing Bolivian and Ecuadorian groups seeking to establish "Marxist'' states, and of being, with Cuban leader Fidel Castro's guidance, a "subversive'' everywhere else in the region.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/25/AR2005082501420.html?nav=rss_world/centralamerica ''Dealing With the Good and Bad Hugo Chavez''], Marcela Sanchez The Washington Post 25 August 2005.</ref>

Through Venezuala's state owned petroleum industry and membership in [[OPEC]], Chávez has now used powers granted to him by Parliament to increase oil prices, stimulating the economy and providing more money for the Bolivarianist projects. Countries such as the United States have criticised Chávez for the increase in cost for crude oil.  Chavez is at the forefront of wanting to set crude oil prices at $60 a barrel minimum, according to the ''Asia Times''<ref>[http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Global_Economy/HL07Dj01.html ''Bush, OPEC and Chavez of Arabia''], Pepe Escobar, Asia Times, 7 December 2006.</ref>

Through Venezuala's state owned petroleum industry and membership in [[OPEC]], Chávez has now used powers granted to him by Parliament to increase oil prices, stimulating the economy and providing more money for the Bolivarianist projects. Countries such as the United States have criticized Chávez for the increase in cost for crude oil.  Chavez is at the forefront of wanting to set crude oil prices at $60 a barrel minimum, according to the ''Asia Times''<ref>[http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Global_Economy/HL07Dj01.html ''Bush, OPEC and Chavez of Arabia''], Pepe Escobar, Asia Times, 7 December 2006.</ref>

[[Image:Hugo-chavez8.jpg|left|175px|thumb|Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez with Fidel Castro.

[[Image:Hugo-chavez8.jpg|left|175px|thumb|Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez with Fidel Castro.

]]

]]

The [[United States of America]] and [[Venezuela]]'s foreign relations  are presently unstable. This is understandable given that Chavez often criticizes the United States for its 'imperalism' on his radio segment 'Alo Presidente', and the United States's support of the 2002 coup in Venezuela, toppling Chávez and replacing him with a dictatoral government. (Which was then toppled shortly after by the Chávez supporters, also known as 'Chávistas'). However, Venezuela and the United States remain friendly trading partners when it comes to imports and exports.

The [[United States of America]] and [[Venezuela]]'s foreign relations  are presently unstable. This is understandable given that Chavez often criticizes the United States for its 'imperialism' on his radio segment 'Alo Presidente', and the United States's support of the 2002 coup in Venezuela, toppling Chávez and replacing him with a dictatorial government. (Which was then toppled shortly after by the Chávez supporters, also known as 'Chávistas'). However, Venezuela and the United States remain friendly trading partners when it comes to imports and exports.

Hugo Chávez is a great friend of Cuban leader [[Fidel Castro]] and is said to have drawn his political style through influences such as [[Che Guevara]], [[Karl Marx]] and [[Simon Bolivar]]. The U.S. State Department ''Report on Global Annti-Semitism'' cited Chavez in August 2004 warning citizens against following the lead of Jewish citizens in the effort to overturn his referendum victory. <ref>[http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/40258.htm Report on Global Anti-Semitism] U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, January 5, 2005. </ref>  Chavez has also embraced a number of world leaders that have hostile relations with the United States, including [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]], the President of [[Iran]], who Chavez has referred to as "my brother".<ref>[http://english.eluniversal.com/2006/07/31/en_pol_art_31A756133.shtml Chávez decorated in Iran; initials cooperation pacts]</ref> He is also considered to be an ally of leftist [[Ecuador|Ecuadorian]] president [[Rafael Correa]]. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6187364.stm]

Hugo Chávez is a great friend of Cuban leader [[Fidel Castro]] and is said to have drawn his political style through influences such as [[Che Guevara]], [[Karl Marx]] and [[Simon Bolivar]]. The U.S. State Department ''Report on Global Anti-Semitism'' cited Chavez in August 2004 warning citizens against following the lead of Jewish citizens in the effort to overturn his referendum victory. <ref>[http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/40258.htm Report on Global Anti-Semitism] U. S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, January 5, 2005. </ref>  Chavez has also embraced a number of world leaders that have hostile relations with the United States, including [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]], the President of [[Iran]], who Chavez has referred to as "my brother".<ref>[http://english.eluniversal.com/2006/07/31/en_pol_art_31A756133.shtml Chávez decorated in Iran; initials cooperation pacts]</ref> He is also considered to be an ally of leftist [[Ecuador|Ecuadorian]] president [[Rafael Correa]] and Bolivian president Evo Morales. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6187364.stm]

==Further reading==

==Further reading==

*[http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/] An in depth view on Venezuala under Hugo Chávez.

*[http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/] An in depth view on Venezuela under Hugo Chávez.

*[http://www.realclearpolitics.com/Commentary/com-2_24_06_AVL.html ''Why The Left Should Cringe at The Mention of Hugo Chavez''], Alvaro Vargas Llosa, Independent Institute, February 24, 2006.

*[http://www.realclearpolitics.com/Commentary/com-2_24_06_AVL.html ''Why The Left Should Cringe at The Mention of Hugo Chavez''], Alvaro Vargas Llosa, Independent Institute, February 24, 2006.

*[http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_kmnew/is_200108/ai_kepm313968 ''Bolivar, Dictator or Paladin?''] Interview: Hugo Chavez talks about Venezuela, Maria Amparo Lasso, Newsweek, Aug 20, 2001.

*[http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_kmnew/is_200108/ai_kepm313968 ''Bolivar, Dictator or Paladin?''] Interview: Hugo Chavez talks about Venezuela, Maria Amparo Lasso, Newsweek, Aug 20, 2001.