As it did with EADS CASA, Washington asked Russia not to sell planes

Just as it did with the EADS CASA sale of military patrol and transport aircraft, the United States has asked Russia not to sell warplanes to the Venezuelan regime.

"We repeatedly talked to the Russian government that the arms purchases planned by Venezuela exceeded its defensive needs and are not helpful in terms of regional stability," State Department spokesman Tom Casey tells reporters, according to Reuters. "We certainly hope that Russia will reconsider."