CHAVEZ THREATENS TO INTERVENE IN BOLIVIA

Ain't this the same crazy cat that's always going on and on about the United States meddling in South America?

President Hugo Chavez says Venezuela will not tolerate a movement for secession in Bolivia's eastern lowland states. Chavez says his government has not meddled in the domestic affairs of other Latin American nations, but would if Bolivian states now seeking greater autonomy from Bolivia's central government push for total independence.

He did not say Thursday what specifically Venezuela would do.

Bolivia's largest and richest state overwhelmingly backed a May 4 referendum seeking greater autonomy from the leftist government of President Evo Morales. Leaders insist they have no interest in full independence.

Chavez, a close Morales ally, accuses the U.S. of fomenting the state's autonomy movement, a charge U.S. officials deny.

Chavez is accusing the US of interfering in Bolivia? That's like the crazy pot calling the crazy kettle black. Chavez himself was busted last December for shipping weapons to Bolivia.

Hundreds of anti-Chavez protesters stoned a Venezuelan plane in Bolivia on December 6, 2007, forcing it to flee to an unknown location. The Bolivians suspected that the plane was carrying a load of weapons supplied by Chavez to his close ally and fellow Marxist Evo Morales of Bolivia.

And let's not forget Chavez ties to Columbian leftist rebels FARC. Those computer files (recently confirmed as authentic by Interpol) seized after the raid of the FARC military camp...

...indicate Venezuela appears to be making concrete offers to help arm the rebels, possibly with rocket-propelled grenades and ground-to-air missiles. The files suggest that Venezuela offered the FARC the use of one of its ports to receive arms shipments, and that Venezuela raised the prospect of drawing up a joint security plan with the FARC and sought basic training in guerrilla-warfare techniques.

So yeah, forgive us Hugo if we don't take your banter about meddling seriously. Stick to preaching to your "yes" men...