Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called on the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on Thursday to put an end to the “dictatorship of the dollar.”
Speaking to government ministers and representatives from the 11 OPEC member countries in Caracas, AFP reported Chavez as saying: “The empire will fall this century. The grave is already dug; the day will come to bury it for the good of the world.”
Chavez said that several OPEC countries are considering “using the euro instead of the dollar as the reference currency for the price of oil and international commerce.”
“The dollar is weakening, mainly due to the irresponsible economic policy [of the United States].”
Venezuela is the fourth leading supplier of oil to the US, shipping north 1.5 million barrels a day.
“The last conversation I had with Bill Clinton was when it was still possible to talk with a president of the United States. It’s not that way with the current one, whom I believe is a threat to the world, a real threat,” said Chavez.
“Once again I demand that the US withdraw its troops from Iraq and let that nation live in peace. With the world as a witness, we are asking for an end to the violations committed against the Iraqi people and an end to the threats against the people of Iran.” |