Chavez's spending spree

There may be an additional irritant in the already strained relations between Washington and Caracas next week. For Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will be a guest of the Kremlin on Thursday. 

Some reports suggest  that Chavez will order up to nine Russian submarines, at a cost of up to 2 billion dollars. They will  supposedly patrol the Venezuelan coast to  ward off  invasion by the United States. The vessels in question are five Project 636 Kilo-class diesel submarines and four Project 677 Amur submarines. The contract could be split into two or three parts, and include construction of submarine bases and training of submarine crews.

US authorities have been increasingly concerned about the intensifying partnership between Russia and Venezuela, the world's leading oil producers. The United States accuses Venezuela of starting an arms race, which may destabilise the military equilibrium in Latin America. Last year Washington announced an embargo on the sale of  US military material and equipment to Caracas  Some US allies have followed suit, which is why Caracas has turned to Russia and China instead.

The Kremlin seems keen. Moscow has already said that it will actively participate in the modernisation of the Venezuelan armed forces. In 2005-2006, Caracas put in an order for fighter jets, air defence missile systems, attack helicopters and assault rifles worth 3.4 billion dollars.

After Moscow, Chavez is planning a whistle-stop tour that will further irk Washington. He will visit Iran on Sunday to focus on the implementation of bilateral agreements reached last September in the areas of technology information exchange, the oil industry, economic cooperation, and cultural and educational projects. He also plans to drop in on other states in Europe and Asia -- none of them Bush allies.