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Caribbean-Latin America
Venezuela threatens US over F-16s
2005-11-02
President Hugo Chavez has warned the US he could give some of his country's F-16 fighter jets to Cuba or China. Mr Chavez accused the US of breaking a contract to supply spare parts for the jets it sold to Venezuela in the 1980s. He suggested that Washington would be less than pleased if military rivals gained access to the advanced planes.
Hugo's got 21 F-16A/B Block 15 models delivered in the mid 80's. I'm sure China knows everything about these old planes by now.
The F-16s were sold to previous governments that had better relations with the White House. The US sees Mr Chavez as an unfriendly head of state.

The Venezuelan president's latest provocative announcement came during a nationally televised address, dominated by appeals to Latin Americans to end the dominance of the US. Speaking of the fighter planes, he said he was "only thinking out loud". "Maybe we will just send them back to them, or perhaps we will send 10 planes to Cuba, or to China, so they can have a look at the technology of these aircraft."

The Venezuelan president not only accused the Bush administration of breaking a contract to supply spare parts for about 20 F-16s. He also said it was trying to interfere in negotiations between Venezuela and third countries on the upkeep of military equipment and the purchase of new weapons. Mr Chavez was referring to reports that the US has put pressure on Israel not to help Venezuela maintain the F-16 aircrafts.

US officials have not responded to the Venezuelan president's comments, who is highly critical of US foreign policy. If he carries out the threat, it would break Venezuela's obligation to protect F-16 technology. The BBC's Simon Watts says there is real substance to Mr Chavez's overtures to both China and Cuba.
He's most likely already given them full access to these birds. Hollow threat.
He recently signed an agreement with Beijing to launch a Venezuelan satellite, and is considering buying fighter aircraft from the Chinese.
Mr Chavez and President George Bush are both due this week to attend a regional summit which is expected to highlight the gulf between their visions for Latin America.
Posted by:Steve

#15  I have a friend in the Honduran Air Force. He says he will give a C-47 and a Stuart tank to Vietnam if Bush does not immediately send him a new Corvette, a couple of NFL cheerleaders, and an open credit line in Las Vegas. Hey, it's worth a shot.
Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy   2005-11-02 17:29  

#14  Hugo will get his F16 parts right after Iran gets their F14 parts. After all, they've been in line since Jimmy Carter.
Posted by: RWV   2005-11-02 16:49  

#13  Why am I not surprised that the Isrealis stepped in and were about to sell spare parts to Chavez?
Posted by: gromky   2005-11-02 14:12  

#12  China already has one F-16 for study.
It was provided by Pakistan in the early 1990s.

When Bill Clinton ordered cruise missile strikes against OBL, the Paks provided one crashed Tomahawk to China.

The Chinese have reportedly not been too successful with the reverse engineering.

Even assembly of modern aircraft is a problem. Russian technicians had to be called in to dismantle and reassemble Su-27 Flankers.

Guess there is a world of difference between assembly of plastic toys and high performance engineering...


Posted by: john   2005-11-02 14:10  

#11  During his ill-fated coup attempt way back in the early 90's part of his plan was to mount an air attack on government offices with a COIN aircraft like an OV-10.

It was shot down by one of Venezuela's F-16's.
Posted by: Abdominal Snowman   2005-11-02 12:57  

#10  "These parts worked fine when they left the factory. The warranty expired when you took off the shrinkwrap."
Posted by: Seafarious   2005-11-02 12:34  

#9  I believe you Pat!
Posted by: Secret Master   2005-11-02 12:09  

#8  Are these birds even capable of getting off of the ground? Besides the F-22's could use a shoot ex
Posted by: Cheaderhead   2005-11-02 10:49  

#7  "Parts? F16 parts? Sorry, wrong numbah..."
Posted by: mojo   2005-11-02 10:29  

#6  Do these spare parts actually have to work?
Posted by: tu3031   2005-11-02 10:17  

#5  He's working in concert with the Mad Mulahs, Norks, Cuba, Al Qaeda and the drug smugglers.
He should reflect on Noregia.
Posted by: 3dc   2005-11-02 10:14  

#4  Go for it Chavez. The planes are old, and we didn't give you the best and top secret shit. You have good airframes. Wheee.
And without spare parts, they are expensive paperweights. So go ahead, export them you baby.
Posted by: mmurray821   2005-11-02 09:28  

#3  Why did this guy's plane safely arrive in NY?
Posted by: Robert Crawford   2005-11-02 09:24  

#2  he said he was "only thinking out loud". "Maybe we will just send them back to them, or perhaps we will send 10 planes to Cuba, or to China, so they can have a look at the technology of these aircraft."

Poor ***king Hugo, thinking outload again. Crate em up, send em to China. The spares business will help our trade deficit.
Posted by: Besoeker   2005-11-02 09:23  

#1  I gotta vision for him,....FLASH--BANG!!!!
Posted by: ARMYGUY   2005-11-02 09:08  

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