Fidel backs Chavez in Venezuela-Spain tiff

Convalescing Cuban leader Fidel Castro defended Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez over remarks made between him and Spanish leaders during a summit on Saturday. According to a report by Reuters:

“Saturday, Nov. 10, 2007, will go down in history ... as the day of truth ... an ideological Waterloo,” Castro said…

“There has never been a dialogue like that between heads of state and government, almost all of whom represented countries plundered for centuries by colonialism and imperialism,” Castro said, adding, “nothing else could have been more enlightening.”

Meanwhile, relations between Spain and Venezuela have been strained in the days since the controversial exchange. On Wednesday, Chavez said that he was “conducting a detailed review” of diplomatic and business ties between both countries. Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos replied yesterday that Spain “will defend its interests” while trying to bring “a swift resolution” to the row.

Sources- Bloomberg, SignOnSanDiego.com, The Latin Americanist, AFP, Voice of America

Image- economist.com