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CARACAS, Jan. 10 (Xinhuanet) -- Venezuela is
considering buying Russian fighter planes to replace the ageing F-16s it
bought from the United States, President Hugo Chavez said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a military event in Caracas, Chavez
said that he had sent a delegation to Moscow, the
Russian capital, to discuss the issue.
Washington "is refusing to do major
refurbishment and delaying spare parts" for the F-16s, which were bought
under the 1979-1984 Christian Democrat government of Luis Herrera Campins,
Chavez said.
Venezuela bought 24 Fighting Falcon F-16
aircraft, two of which have been lost in accidents.
"If we have to substitute the fleet of F-16s
with a modern fleet of MiGs, we will do it, nothing is going to stop us, "
said Chavez.
Chavez also accused the United States of
blocking Venezuela's acquisition of Super Tucano military planes from
Brazil because the planes are built with U.S. technologies.
The United States was trying to keep Venezuela
dependent by doing so, he said.
"We will wait for some time to see if Brazil
can resolve this problem," Chavez said.
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