The World Social Forum in Caracas, Venezuela, has heard the latest salvo fired against the Americans from host President Hugo Chavez. Chavez is a close ally of Cuba, and wants to bring a socialist revolution to Venezuela, but for Washington he is a dangerous threat to democracy. Since a 2002 failed coup Chavez says the Americans backed, both have been waging verbal war;

"I warn the US government, the next time we detect a soldier or civilian offical, but above all an American officer, trying to obtain information about our armed forces, we're going to put them in prison, we will send them to jail", he thundered.

The warning came hours after Chavez's vice president said officials at the US embassy had been spying for the Pentagon, receiving sensitive data from Venezuelan naval officers. The US embassy says it has heard nothing about the allegations.

PHOTO CAPTION

As Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, seen here, stepped up his attacks on what he called the "genocidal" US administration, new figures show bilateral trade has surged, thanks largely to high oil prices. (AFP)

Source: Euro News