Hugo Chavez's aspirations

Hugo Chavez's aspirations

The tour by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez through OPEC
countries which finished last week has taken the president to
visit the Iran of Mohammad Khatami, the Iraq of Saddam Hussein,
the Libya of Moammar Gadhafi and the Algeria of Abdelaziz
Bouteflika. Chavez also traveled to Indonesia, Suadi Arabia,
United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Nigeria.

The declared motive of the tour was to invite the heads of
state of OPEC countries to a summit which will be held in
Venezuela in September. But the undeniable importance of the
function of this trip is to gauge the possibility of
strengthening political relations between countries that have
political weight and are united in clear-cut opposition to
Washington.

Can Chavez use his foreign policy to form a coherent alliance
between many countries that have very little in common, only
united against what they hate? Can oil serve this cause? The fair
winner of democratic elections, his popular internal triumph may
make him think that he can assume the role of international
leader. It seems impossible, but one must assume that that is
Chavez's dream.

-- El Pais, Madrid