Press TV October 21, 2008
Venezuela to build Caribbean naval base
Venezuela unveils plans to build a naval base in the Caribbean Sea while the country is preparing for a joint naval game with Russia.
The naval base would be erected on Venezuela's largest island Margarita, said President Hugo Chavez noting that the strategic location of the island makes it perfect for "a naval base of large proportions," AP reported.
Chavez's office said Monday that the president visited the island on Sunday along with American actor Sean Penn and Venezuelan Indy car driver Milka Duno.
The US has expressed concern over the Russian-Venezuelan buildup in its backyard but Chavez says the naval base will be used to fight drug trafficking.
Director of Russian Federal Service of Security (FSB) Nikolai Patrushev, visiting Chavez at the Miraflores Palace, said earlier that the joint military exercise "is not directed against the interests of other countries".
Meanwhile, Russian military expert John Pike of globalsecurity.org. said, "Some of this is the Russians wanting to get even. They see American warships close to their shore; they're going to put Russian warships close to us."
The Russian-Venezuelan military maneuver is scheduled for Nov. 10-14 in the Caribbean Sea.
RB/RA
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