The Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has announced he is borrowing 2.2 billion dollars from Russia to buy arms including tanks and anti-aircraft missiles. Defence analysts say it will destabilise South America.

Robert Amsterdam, an expert on Russian-Venezuelan relations, told Radio Netherlands the agreement is of major significance for the relationship between the two countries.

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"He has signed another massive arms deal which should bring Venezuelen acquisition of Russian arms over six billion dollars in the space of five years, continuing to make Venezuela the largest arms purchaser from Russia in the world.

"Mr Chavez has in many ways simply thrown all his eggs in the Russian basket."

The Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has announced he is borrowing 2.2 billion dollars from Russia to buy arms including tanks and anti-aircraft missiles. Defence analysts say it will destabilise South America.

Ally
The latest deal comes after Chavez visited Moscow, which has traditionally been an ally of the South American country. The 2.2 billion dollar loan will be used to finance a range of weapons, including 92 tanks and the S-300 missile system, which can shoot down fighter planes.

Venezuela is embroiled in a diplomatic dispute with neighbouring Columbia, over Bogota's plans to give more access to US troops. That agreement is aimed at curbing drug trafficking from Columbia to the US and clamping down on left-wing guerrillas.

No attack plan
Chavez claims the US bases put his country at risk and increase the possibility of war in South America, but he denied any plans to launch an attack.

"Let me be clear, Venezuela has no plans to invade anybody or to be aggressive towards anybody," he said, adding: "With these rockets, it's going to be very difficult for foreign planes to come and bomb us."

Iran
Robert Amsterdam says this deal should be seen in the context of Venezuela's good relationship with Iran.

"It will impact very negatively [on relations with the US] because in addition to the fact that Chavez is purchasing these arms, allegedly to thwart a somewhat imaginary American threat.

"You add to this the very close relationship between Venezuela and Iran and you will see that it isn't just the Venezuelan-Russian axis but the Venezuelan-Iranian-Russian access that gives tremendous cause for concern to defence strategists in Washington."