HAVANA (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Sunday that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's warning to Latin American nations about their ties with Iran was "an overt threat," especially to his country and Bolivia.
Barack Obama
During a gathering of leftist leaders in Cuba, Chavez said Clinton's words were among "clear signs of an imperial offensive" targeting what he called "progressive forces" in Latin America.
Chavez is the most outspoken U.S. critic in Latin America.
He is among several regional presidents to strengthen diplomatic and commercial ties with Iran despite mounting international pressure on the Islamic Republic over its nuclear ambitions. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Brazil, Bolivia and Venezuela in late November.
Clinton warned Latin American countries last week against becoming too closely involved with Iran, saying that doing so was "a really bad idea" that could have consequences for them.
Her remarks drew criticism from Bolivia's Foreign Ministry and from Chavez.
"It's an overt threat," Chavez told reporters in Cuba. "Her declarations are like a threat, especially at Venezuela and Bolivia."
Along with Chavez, Bolivia's Evo Morales and Ecuador's Rafael Correa are fierce critics of U.S. foreign policy and recently have forged closer ties with Iran, Russia and other countries.
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