Chavez says UK should give Falklands to Argentina
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-02-10 16:44

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez took another swipe at British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Thursday, saying Britain should give back the Falkland Islands to Argentina.

Venezuela also formally complained about comments by Blair saying the South American country should respect the rules of the international community, writing in a letter to the British ambassador in Caracas that the remarks violated the "fundamental principles of international law."

There was no immediate reaction from the British Embassy.

Chavez, a blunt-speaking leftist known for his anti-American rhetoric, had already told Blair to "go to hell" for his remarks, made during a parliamentary session in London on Wednesday.

His attack on the British premier shifted his aim following a new flare-up with Washington, sparked when Chavez last week expelled a U.S. Navy attache for alleged espionage and compared Bush to Adolf Hitler.

Chavez used Thursday's speech to prod U.S. President George W. Bush again, calling him a "nut case."

The fiery Venezuelan leader said U.S. ally Britain had violated the sovereignty of various nations. He cited the case of the tiny Falkland Islands off the coast of Argentina, which Britain and Argentina went to war over in 1982.

"We have to remember the Falklands, how they were taken away from the Argentines," Chavez said in the western Venezuelan city of Maracaibo. "Those islands are Argentina's. Return them, Mr. Blair, those islands are Argentina's."

Britain still controls the Falklands, which Argentine troops invaded in 1982, setting off a three-month war against colonial ruler Britain in which hundreds were killed on both sides and more than 1,000 wounded.

OIL SALES INTACT

Blair said on Wednesday that countries like Venezuela and Cuba should realize they had much to gain from the principles of democracy.

Chavez responded by telling Blair to stay in his place and calling him the main ally of "Hitler Danger Bush Hitler" -- referring to his favorite nickname for Bush, Mr. Danger.

In a letter to British Ambassador Donald Lamond, Vice Foreign Minister Pavel Rondon said Venezuela categorically rejected Blair's comments and noted that international law meant respect for the legality of other countries.

"The serious distortion in his words in confusing 'the rules of the international community' with the norms and principles of International Law has not gone unnoticed by our government," the letter said.

"This type of confusion has facilitated, permitted and induced the worst atrocities against the world's peoples."

Chavez, a former army officer who took office seven years ago after failing to win power in a 1992 coup, lashed out at Bush anew on Thursday.

"Now there's a nut case up there in the presidency of the United States," Chavez said. "He's dangerous to the world because he's capable of dropping nuclear bombs.

"Now they're making plans to invade Iran and Venezuela as well. He's crazy, the North Americans themselves are going to have to tie him up because he is capable of destroying half the world and destroying his own country."

Rocky since Chavez came to power, relations between oil-rich Venezuela and the chief buyer of its crude soured anew when Chavez expelled a U.S. naval attache last week. The State Department responded by expelling a Venezuelan diplomat.

Despite the spat, Venezuela's ambassador in Washington Bernardo Alvarez said on Thursday Venezuela would continue to supply oil to the United States. Venezuela, the world's No. 5 exporter of oil, provides roughly 15 percent U.S. oil imports.