Venezuela says EADS CASA sale is still in works

While its lobbyists try to keep it ambiguous in Washington, EADS CASA continues actively to pursue its sale of 12 military aircraft to the Venezuelan government.

Venezuelan Vice President Luis Vicente Rangel tells a Spanish newspaper that despite US attempts to block the sale of EADS CASA C-295 and CN-235 planes to Caracas, the deal is still on.

The regime's recent announcement that it will buy 24 Russian Antonov transport planes does not mean that the EADS CASA sale is off. Venezuelan "government sources" tell El Diario de Cadiz that the Chavez government "is not renouncing the purchase of the planes of the EADS CASA enterprise."

"Nevertheless, the commercial operation is in serious difficulties because CASA is moving ahead on a path to sell CASA-295 [planes] to the United States."

Rangel says that Venezuela's relations with Spain are excellent, noting that "President . . . José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero supports us . . . with a valiant and intelligent posture and without prejudice."