Chavez official blasts US for blocking EADS CASA sale

A top Venezuelan official broadsided the United States for blocking the sale of 12 EADS CASA military planes to the Chavez regime.

Foreign Trade Minister Gustavo Márquez blasted what he called Washington's "deplorable pressure" on the Spanish Socialist Workers Party government to "block" the sale of 10 C-295 and 2 CN-235 military transport and patrol aircraft. He said the sale has been "paralyzed" for 20 months since the US moved to veto the transfer of EADS CASA planes that contain American technology.

Márquez made the comments in a meeting with Spanish journalists on October 2, adding that the Bolivarian regime "wishes to expand its commercial relations with Spain." The Barcelona-based business website ab-e.com has the story.