Chavez threatens UN complaint

2005-08-29 08:05

Caracas - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez warned on Sunday he would lodge a complaint against the United States at the United Nations and other international bodies if the US government failed to act against television evangelist Pat Robertson, who had called for Chavez's assassination.

"If the US government does not take action that it must take, we will go to the United Nations and Organisation of American States to denounce the US government," the Venezuelan leader said here.

He added he believed that by failing to act against Robertson, the United States was "giving protection to a terrorist, who is demanding the assassination of a legitimate president".

Robertson caused a diplomatic stir last Monday when he said on the air that if Chavez believed the United States was trying to kill him, "I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it."

Apologised

Robertson apologised on Wednesday, but then went on to compare Chavez to Saddam Hussein and to suggest the United States could one day be at war with his oil-rich country.

Chavez, a twice-elected leftist and close ally of Cuban President Fidel Castro, has often said Washington would like to assassinate him, and accuses the Bush administration of involvement in a coup d'etat that toppled him for 47 hours in April 2002.

US officials last week distanced themselves from Robertson's comments.

The Venezuela president said he had already instructed his foreign minister and the country's ambassador to Washington to begin the process in the international bodies.

He said Venezuela could use international treaties and conventions to demand the extradition of the television preacher.

Chavez pointed out he believed Robertson "should be sent to prison to serve as an example for the entire world".

- AFP