Chavez hits out at Bush free trade plan

VENEZUELAN President Hugo Chavez blamed free market policies promoted by the US for the crisis in Bolivia, and said Latin America would no longer accept such “poisonous” economic doctrines.

Mr Chavez, an outspoken critic of Washington’s foreign policy, said yesterday that proposals by US President George Bush for a hemisphere-wide free trade agreement would only lead to more poverty.

Speaking before the Organisation of American States, Mr Bush touted the proposal in Florida last week saying it would open the way to peace and prosperity in the Americas.