China delivers jets for anti-drugs fight in Venezuela

VENEZUELA: Venezuela on Saturday tested six training and light attack jets bought from China for defense and anti-drugs flights in a deal that dodges an embargo banning sales of US weapons parts to oil exporter Venezuela.

President Hugo Chavez ordered a total of 18 K-8 jets built by China after a plan to buy similar jets from Brazil’s Embraer ERJ.N fell through, apparently because they include US electrical systems.

“Thank you, China. The empire wanted to leave us unarmed. Socialist China, revolutionary China appeared and here are our K-8 planes,” he said during a televised display of the jets’ capabilities.

Officials at the ceremony said the versatile jets will be used to train pilots and intercept drug traffickers who use Venezuela as a stop off point to take Colombian cocaine to the United States, Europe and Africa.

Washington accuses Chavez, a close ally of Cuba and Iran, of starting an arms race in South America, where several nations have beefed-up their military in the last few years.

Tensions with neighbour Colombia over US access to military bases there and accusations that Chavez supports FARC guerrillas have raised concerns of a violent incident between the two countries.

Caracas, Sunday, Reuters