Chavez says he wants to copy Belarus model

On signing his "pact of unity" with Belarusan dictator Aleksandr Lukashenko, Chavez says that Venezuela's manufacturing, technology, mining, petrochemical, educational and other needs can be met through partnerships with places like Belarus.

The Belarus pact will satisfy "the needs of the people and not the capitalist interests, hegemons, neither of Europe nor of America nor of anywhere else," Chavez announces.

Belarus, he says in Spanish-language Associated Press coverage, "is a social model that we are starting to create."