Chavez expecting no change from Obama

7/17/2008 - 7:39:48 AM

President Hugo Chavez says Venezuela’s relations with Washington are unlikely to improve if Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama wins November’s election.

Mr Chavez says Mr Obama and Republican candidate John McCain both represent the interests of the US “empire”, so nobody should expect Venezuela’s ties with the United States to improve.

Mr Chavez is one of Latin America’s most outspoken critics of US foreign policy. He told a gathering of supporters today that Mr Obama hopes to apply “carrot and stick” diplomacy in the region.

But he said neither approach will have any positive effects.

Addressing Mr Obama, he said: “If you have not understood, there’s an unleashed revolution in this land.”